SARS scare hits Negros Occidental

Sooner or later, it was bound to hit Negros Occidental and the Western Visayas. But the paranoia over the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome suddenly reared its ugly head because an asymptomatic overseas Filipina worker from Hongkong voluntarily submitted herself to quarantine.

The still unidentified female worker also was joined her family in isolating themselves from interfacing with other members of the community. That did not prevent the community in Barangay Purisima from treating her and her kin as a pariah.

The second was the reported confinement of a balikbayan from Taiwan for tuberculosis. Murcia Mayor Esteban Coscolluela said there is no confirmation that the Murcia resident has SARS. He was just sent to the Regional Hospital (Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital) for observation and as a precautionary measure.

Another Sagay City resident, a recent arrival from Guandong, China, is also being monitored although no signs of SARS had been exhibited, according to Dr. Luis Efren.

But, as I had earlier said, the reaction was immediate. Especially to the CLMMRH patient from Murcia.

Immediately, emergency room personnel donned on masks. So did the security guards of the regional hospital. Worse, they just used three layers of the gauze masks for lack of the protective equipment. The three-layered masks was supposed to be enough protection. So they said.

The news, however, drew instant reactions. Over at the Riverside Medical Center, emergency room personnel were already wearing masks as precaution. Even in downtown Bacolod, there were already some pedestrians wearing masks, although whether they are really effective in preventing infection remains problematic.

Businessmen, however, are worried about the SARS scare impact. Sunday night, a group of Tsinoy businessmen toyed with the idea of how they can legally stop workers from reporting for work when they display fever and cough or flu-like symptoms.

The argument is that they have to protect the rest of the workers or company personnel.

But public places, especially malls, restaurants and eateries, were already mulling measures to cop with the expected drop in income if the scare continues.

In Dumaguete City, Dr. Virgilio Sienes, director of the Negros Oriental Hospital, admitted that although the hospital has an isolation ward, there is actually no SARS management except for a supportive type.

He pointed out that there is the additional problem of who to handle SARS cases and to distinguish between pneumonia and flu from the dreaded disease. This is a matter that will have to be discussed with hotel and restaurant owners.

Dumaguete City health officer Dr. Erlinda Cabrera, however, said hospitals are still not ready for SARS. Some do not even admit suspected SARS patients, citing private hospitals. Even the provincial hospital is not ready, she asserted.

That contracts the Silliman University Medical Center director Roberto Montebon that an isolation ward is being mulled, a separate building from the DUMC.

But all the hospital and medical authorities of Oriental Negros were almost unanimous in agreement in demanding that the provincial government should seize the initiative in launching a SARS prevention and control plan.

There is also the troubling question. There are hardly any bralike N95 face masks to protect health personnel from SARS.

As in Negros Occidental, medical personnel have taken to wearing three layers of synthetic surgical masks. However, protective clothing is virtually not available yet.

The most troubling implication may be gleaned from nightclub habitués. Many indicated that, for the moment, "it’s pass." In short, they have decided not to go out to frequently patronized places while the SARS scare is on.

Yesterday morning, however, I was astonished to see a group of 29 from the Capiz Mill District Development Council, registering at the Business Inn with nary a scare about SARS. The group are here to study modern sugar cultivation at the Hawaiian Philippines Company MDDC and others in the province, according to Dr. Ramon Cu, deputy Philsurin director general.

In short, despite the ensuing panic, there are still many who remain untouched by fear.

The Supercat ferry, however, continued to carry a record number of passengers per trip to and from Iloilo City. What is encouraging is that none of the passengers have been seen wearing masks.

Rep.. Monico Puentevella of Bacolod will still meet today with health and PNP officials to discuss implementation of checkpoints on all entry points to the province.

The solon also signed a memorandum of agreement with Dr. Domingo Vega, medical director of the VLMMRH, turning over P500,000 to be spent on patients showing signs of SARS-related illness.

The Negros Occidental Governor Joseph Maranon, however, stole the thunder from everyone when he activated a SARS Monitoring Task Force.

A welcome move. The only way to prevent panic is to undertake a comprehensive education and information campaign on SARS. Especially how to avoid possible infection and how one should voluntarily quarantine oneself when exposed to possible infection.

Actually, said Confed office manager Herman Santos, what is needed now is how to control the fear of the unknown.

Unfortunately, the declaration of a national emergency may only serve to fuel panic.

Cloud seeding

A scattering of rain poured over Negros Occidental Saturday and Sunday.

Gov. Maranon announced that the Saturday operation, launched jointly with the Department of Agriculture, induced mild rains in Talisay City and Murcia towns. There were also heavy rains in portions of Bacolod City up to Bago City in the South. Other areas hit by the rain showers were Himamaylan and Kabankalan.

Sunday, rains also drenched EB Magalona, Talisay and the upper areas of Silay City.

Yesterday, six more sorties were due to be implemented by the DA and the provincial government. The province allotted P1 million for the project, the DA providing the counterpart fund of P750,000.

Some sugar farmers, particularly Rosend Lopez of the First Farmers Association, however said that may have been delayed. He had asked for cloud-seeding to be started in February and March.

But the fact is that the operation has eased the sighs of farmers of agricultural crops who have already reported massive losses due to he prolonged dry spell.

Cloud seeding operations will also be undertaken for Panay Island, according to the DA.