Court workers urged to wear masks, take other precautions vs. 2019-nCoV

Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta urged court personnel to take precautions against the spread of the novel coronavirus after health authorities confirmed the Philippines’ first case.

In a Friday advisory, Peralta encouraged court workers to “observe proper hand and respiratory hygiene and safe food practices” pursuant to recommendations by the World Health Organization (WHO).

“Court personnel are likewise encouraged to wear masks inside court rooms, halls of justice, and judiciary buildings, in the interest of everyone’s health,” the advisory states.

He said workers may refer to WHO guidelines on the proper use of masks in the context of the 2019-nCoV outbreak.

The WHO has declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern.

The death toll in China, whose city of Wuhan was the epicenter of the outbreak, has risen to 213. Thousands have been infected.

A new strain in a family of viruses behind illnesses ranging from the common cold to SARS, the 2019-nCoV has reached several countries including the Philippines, which on Thursday said a 38-year-old woman from Wuhan was its first confirmed case.

The woman reportedly arrived from Wuhan via Hong Kong on January 21 and sought consultation after experiencing a mild cough.

She is asymptomatic, meaning she has no fever and other symptoms suggesting illness, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said Thursday.

According to the WHO, persons with respiratory symptoms should wear masks if they have fever, cough, and difficulty breathing.

Wearing masks is not required for persons without respiratory symptoms “as no evidence is available on its usefulness to protect non-sick persons,” but the WHO acknowledged they might be worn in some countries according to local cultural habits.

If masks are used, the WHO said best practices on how to wear, remove, and dispose of them should be followed. — MDM, GMA News