Philippines Remains Free from Zika Virus but Public Must Remain Vigilant: DOH
By: Jet Villa, InterAksyon.com
January 30, 2016 1:34 AM
MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Health (DOH) on Friday urged the public to be vigilant against Zika virus even though the country is free from the disease.
DOH spokesman Lyndon Lee Suy said that aside from a case of a 15 year old from Cebu City which was recorded in 2012 to be infected with the Zika Virus, no other case has been documented since.
“Wala naman current transmission dito sa bansa natin — while we do admit na nagkaron kaso noong 2012 — 15 yr old from Cebu City. As of the moment, wala tayong nakikita na problema but then we must admit nandun ang threat,” he said.
Lee Suy said the “rest of the universe is really preparing on this because the threat is there for all countries.”
The virus “is now spreading explosively,” in the Americas, World Health Organization chief Margaret Chan said on Thursday.
But the DOH said it is not seeing any possibility of imposing travel restrictions to countries where Zika virus cases have been reported.
Neither is the health agency also considering any plan to monitor arriving passengers in the country to check if they are sick or infected with the virus.
Zika virus is an emerging mosquito-borne disease that was first identified in Uganda in 1947 among rhesus monkeys. It is caused by bites of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes which also cause dengue fever.
It has been blamed for the birth defect microcephaly, a condition that causes babies to be born with an abnormally small head with an incomplete development of the brain.
On May 15, Brazil had reported an outbreak and cases were also recorded in 23 other countries and territories, particularly in the Americas. Symptoms include mild fever, skin rashes and conjunctivitis, all of which could last for two to seven days.
Lee Suy said just like in dengue, Zika virus could be prevented by eliminating the breeding sites of mosquitoes.
“Do not expect the government to be the one doing the cleaning in your area. I guess it’s your responsibility and I hope you will do that. There should be no room for complacency here,” he said.