Philippines on heightened alert vs. Ebola virus

MANILA, Philippines — Units under the Department of Health's quarantine bureau deployed in airports nationwide have been placed on heightened alert for arriving passengers who may have been infected by the deadly Ebola virus.

Health Secretary Enrique Ona warned travelers to have themselves checked if they suspect to have symptoms associated with 729 deaths across West Africa, including that of a renowned American doctor.

"Dapat pagdating sa ating airport, magpatingin kaagad. Magpaalam, lalung lalo na kung nanggaling sila sa Africa o nakaraan doon sa Africa, Sierra Leone, Guinea," Ona said in an interview with dzMM on Friday.

He said that early symptoms include fever, body ache, headache, coughs and loose bowel.

Amid the growing threat of the disease, Ona said in a previous report there is still no cause for alarm in the country.

"We are not worried but we are concerned and when we say we are concerned, we are doing everything to make sure that (the disease) does not reach our people," he said.

He said the government will educate overseas Filipino workers in Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone about the disease.

The health agency, meanwhile, is still taking precautions against the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-Corona Virus or MERS-CoV. - with reports from the Associated Press, Xinhua