DOH: Saudi National Dies of Suspected MERS-CoV
By: Jet Villa, InterAksyon.com
October 3, 2015 2:22 PM
Wearing mask to protect from MERS-Cov. File photograph from REUTERS
MANILA – The Department of Health (DOH) disclosed on Saturday that a 63-year-old male Saudi national suspected of having Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) died in the country last Sept. 29.
In a press briefing, DOH Secretary Janette Garin said the foreigner was not manifesting symptoms of MERS-CoV when he arrived in the country alone last Sept. 17 from Jeddah for a vacation.
“The DOH received the report of a Saudi national who developed cough, high fever and occasional chills. These symptoms started on Sept. 26,” she said. The patient is known to come to the Philippines twice a month for vacation.
On Sept. 28, the foreigner asked the hotel in which he was staying to bring him to a hospital because he was experiencing difficulty breathing,
Garin said the patient’s condition deteriorated, and he died on Sept. 29. Aside from signs and symptoms, including x-ray results suggestive of MERS, the patient also showed indication of myocardial infraction.
He was brought to a private hospital but he died the following day.
It turned out that the hospital alerted DOH about the patient after his remains were already sent to funeral parlor. His body was sent back to Saudi Arabia last Sept. 29.
According to Garin, 97 people came in contact with the patient, comprised of hotel, hospital and funeral parlor personnel.
“At the moment, Task Force MERS-CoV has started contact tracing of the people who were possibly exposed to this foreigner during the history of his travel here. All contacts were asymptomatic, except for 12 health workers who are currently admitted at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine and the San Lazaro Hospital,” Secretary Garin said.
Tests of the 12 health workers so far yielded negative for MERS-CoV infection, but DOH intends to continue monitoring them for the next 14 days, or until Oct. 13.
“We are doing this to ensure that no one gets infected,” she said.
Garin said the 81 other contacts are undergoing home quarantine, while four others, including the driver of the private car that the patient rented, could not be located.
“MERS is an illness that is similar to flu, with symptoms that include fever with cough, cold, or sneezing,” she said.
“What’s important is to report to the nearest hospital if you experience flu-like symptoms and have a history of travel or exposure to persons from the Arabian Peninsula or a possible MERS-CoV infected patient,” Garin added.