Philippines checks passengers for Mers

The highly contagious respiratory disease Mers- CoV has arrived in the Philippines and health authorities are moving quickly to prevent the possible spread of an illness that has killed more than250 peopleworldwide.

Health department officials have asked passengers on a recent flight from Saudi Arabia to submit themselves for testing for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus ( Mers- COV), after reports that a nurse afflicted with the disease managed to enter the country.

“The Department of Health [ DOH] is exerting all efforts to locate all passengers on board a Saudi Airlines flight, including [ one who boarded a] domestic flight to South Cotabato,” Health Secretary Enrique Ona said.

He likewise called on all returning overseas Filipino workers who develop symptoms of Mers- COV to cooperate with the government to prevent the spread of the potentially fatal disease.

Reports said two nurses arrived aboard Saudia Airlines flight SV870 from Dammam on August 29. One of them, identified only as A. P. had gone on to fly to her province in South Cotabato aboard Cebu Pacific flight SJ 997 after staying for two days in Metro Manila. The other was identified as C. B.

Tested positive

Prior to leaving for the Philippines, both had undergone mandatory testing for fatal disease in the Middle East kingdom. A. P., itwas found out later by Philippine health authorities, had tested positive for having the Mers-CoV but was still allowed to leave Saudi Arabia as she did not exhibit symptoms of the illness. Authorities fear that the carrier, A. P., could contaminate other people.

The DOH said A. P. and C. B. had been fetched by 10 relatives, including two grandchildren. The entry of the virus in the Philippines could have gone undetected had C. B. not told authorities about A. P.’ s test results.