DOH assures no active Nipah cases in PH; safeguards in place

The Department of Health on Sunday morning assured the public that there are no records of the Nipah virus in the country and that the country has safeguards in place as it continues its preparations.

In an interview over Super Radyo dzBB, Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo said the Philippines is among the countries such as Thailand and Taiwan that are heightening efforts to prevent the virus from entering its borders.

“For the record, wala tayong namo-monitor or nakikita na may sintomas o history ng exposure...Ang India ang nagsabi, na ang kumpirmado lang nila ay dalawang kaso... Ang kanilang contact tracing at isolation ay nakaabot na ng halos 200  kung saan lahat ay nag-test ng negative... Sa pananaw ng India, contained na ito,” Domingo said.

“Isa 'yang zoonotic [virus]. Isang sakit na nagmumula sa hayop. Ito ay nakukuha lamang kung lalapit sa isang may sakit na paniki o fruit bat... o kung kumakain ng karne na hindi luto, nang hindi sigurado kung saan galing.,” Domingo explained.

Read: What is Nipah virus?

“Ito ba ay makakalipat sa ibang bansa, 'yan ang pinaghahandaan natin ngayon,” he said.

Domingo pointed out that there are dedicated spotters who are nurses at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport who observe arriving passengers for signs and symptoms and are also equipped with terminal cameras that can read a person’s temperature.  

New arrivals are also required to fill up e-Travel documents within 72 hours to determine countries and territories they previously visited.

'Yung mga sintomas ay pangkaraniwan. Pwede kang magkaroon ng lagnat, magkaroon ng pananakit ng katawan, sipon. Para siyang mala-trangkasong sakit at its mild side... Kung ito ay naging malala--'yung pamamaga ng utak,” he said.

He cautioned persons who might be experiencing said symptoms not to panic.

“Hindi ibig sabihin na basta may lagnat, may ubo, baka Nipah ito--hindi po... Kung kayo naman ay hindi bumibiyahe at wala naman kayong nakasalamuha na galing sa labas ng bansa, baka ibang sakit 'yan…[Para malaman kung positibo sa Nipah virus] Titignan ang medical history, ikaw ba ay bumiyahe sa ibang bansa, nakasalamuha ang mga paniki o iba pang hayop sa gubat,” he said.

Despite the Nipah virus not having a vaccine, the DOH official said it could be effectively contained from a public health perspective. Domingo said DOH hospitals and the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine in Muntinlupa City have isolation rooms. 

Domingo urged the public to maintain a healthy diet, get enough exercise and maintain discipline to strengthen one’s resistance against illnesses. —RF, GMA Integrated News