Autopsy ordered on Pinay who died of SARS

Malacañang asked yesterday for an autopsy to be conducted on the remains of the Filipino domestic helper in Hong Kong who allegedly died of the "mysterious" Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

Two other overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Hong Kong have been reported to be afflicted with SARS, according to Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas.

President Arroyo told GMA television in an interview the government may impose a ban on travel to countries hit by the killer disease.

"We are considering a travel ban on countries where there is SARS so that it would not spread," the President said.

Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye called for the autopsy of Adela Dalingay, 39, of Luba, Abra, who reportedly died of SARS after being admitted to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital on March 19 for pneumonia-like symptoms and severe difficulty in breathing.

Bunye said President Arroyo was "saddened" when she learned of Dalingay’s death and immediately ordered the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to extend all assistance that, under the law, could be given to Dalingay’s relatives.

"Although our countryman died in Hong Kong under these mysterious circumstances, in order to be sure what is really the cause of death, we shall place the remains under autopsy. From that autopsy report, we would know," he said.

A source at the labor department said that Dalingay is likely to be cremated because Hong Kong health authorities refuse to embalm her remains for fear of contamination.

"Hong Kong and Philippine authorities are negotiating whether to bring home the remains in a sealed casket or just cremate (it) because there is a possibility of spreading the infection, or the body could decompose before reaching her home province," the source said.

It was also said that several airlines have also declined to transport Dalingay’s remains.

The Department of Health (DOH), for its part, said Dalingay’s body will be "hermetically sealed" should it be flown back to the country.

"It’s similar to a vacuum seal. It will also not be allowed to be opened," said Dr. Consortia Lim-Quizon, the officer in charge of the DOH’s National Epidemiology Center.

She added that Dalingay’s remains could also be cremated.

Lim-Quizon said the DOH is still waiting for the results of the autopsy being conducted by Hong Kong officials to determine if Dalingay died of the SARS infection.

In the meantime, Bunye said the President has also directed the health department "to coordinate" with the World Health Organization (WHO) and other countries with SARS cases to prevent the spread of the disease.

"We are committed to provide all forms of assistance to OFWs who may have contracted the virus," he said.

Bunye also reassured the public that the "DOH has contingency measures in place" to stop the possible outbreak of SARS in the country.

In Hong Kong, the two Filipino domestic helpers reportedly afflicted with SARS were identified as Hilda Nipel, 23, of Dilasag, Aurora province and Lourdes Bagasbas. Both are confined at the Prince of Wales Hospital.

Sto. Tomas said Nipel was taken to the hospital by her doctor employer last March 11, after manifesting fever and other symptoms of SARS.

"Based on reports from Philippine consul to Hong Kong Victoria Bataclan, Nipel has shown improvements and is now taking oral medication," she said.

Sto. Tomas said there was no other information regarding Bagasbas, except that she was admitted into the hospital based on the suspicion that she was infected with SARS.

The labor chief added that health authorities in Hong Kong are still trying to determine how Nipel and Bagasbas acquired the infection.

She also said that the first recorded Filipino SARS patient in Hong Kong, Mylene Luzon, is now recovering and may soon be released from hospital.

So far, DOLE has recorded a total of 13 SARS cases, including one death, among Filipino workers in Hong Kong and Singapore.

A source from DOLE said that a number of OFWs in Hong Kong are likely to be placed under observation by the WHO for possible SARS infection.

"There is a recommendation that OFWs who were billeted at the Metropole Hotel when the SARS outbreak started be placed under WHO surveillance," the source said.

According to the source, the Philippine embassy now has a list of OFWs who were billeted at the hotel. A Chinese businessman, who was said to be the source of the infection, stayed at the hotel from February to March.

Villar, for his part, said he saw the need for travel advisories, since many Filipinos go abroad during the summer months.

There have been several cases of SARS-related deaths, including that of Dalingay, in Asian countries such as China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Vietnam.

"Filipinos should be warned against traveling to these countries," Villar said.

He said the government must conduct a massive information campaign on the nature of the disease and how people can protect themselves against it.

The senator also called on the DOH and the Bureau of Immigration to tighten screening measures at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

The DFA, however, announced that it would not issue an official travel advisory restricting visits to countries with known cases of atypical pneumonia or SARS.

It advised travelers, however, to seek more information about SARS from the DOH or the WHO website, which provides medical alerts on the respiratory ailment, before leaving the country.

The DFA recommends that travelers view the WHO website www.who.int for more information about the status of countries with known SARS cases.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas Ople said the DFA will take its cue from the DOH and WHO on any need for an emergency travel advisory due to health threats from SARS. Although the WHO has received reports of more than 150 new suspected cases of SARS from Canada, China, Hong Kong, Singapore and other countries, it does not recommend travel to be restricted to any destination.

Ople earlier called on Filipino travelers to avoid all unnecessary travel to Asian countries.

He also requested health and immigration officials to work closely with the DFA to promote public awareness of SARS among OFWs, and to come up with stricter quarantine measures for passengers coming in from China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Vietnam.

Ople said he received reports of four additional Filipinos afflicted with SARS in Singapore, bringing the number of OFWs with atypical pneumonia to nine Filipinos out of 31 confirmed SARS cases. None of the nine Filipinos are said to be in serious condition.

According to the report of Philippine ambassador to Singapore Ernesto Llamas, the four additional SARS cases are staff nurses now being treated at the Communicable Disease Center of the Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

One of the patients said that four days prior to admission to a hospital, she developed dry cough, fever and headache. The day before she was admitted, the patient said she felt very weak and nauseated.

DFA officials refused to identify the OFWs afflicted with SARS for reasons of confidentiality.

"I will meet with Health Secretary (Manuel) Dayrit, Labor Secretary Sto. Tomas, and airport and immigration officials specifically on this problem," Ople said.

On the other hand, Lim-Quizon said "it is only a matter of time" before SARS reaches the country.

"Darating din iyan dito (It will eventually reach here)," she said.

Lim-Quizon, citing statistics, said SARS "is not that infectious and deadly," with only a two percent case fatality rate.

She added that only 305 people in China’s Guangdong province were infected with atypical pneumonia. "If it was that infectious, then thousands should have been infected."

Nevertheless, Lim-Quizon advised Filipinos to avoid traveling to countries where SARS cases have been reported, and to "bolster their resistance" – thereby lessening the chances of contracting SARS – by taking in a lot of Vitamin C.

She said that at least two government hospitals – the San Lazaro Hospital in Manila and the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine in Alabang, Muntinlupa – are equipped to handle SARS cases.

Lim-Quizon added that there are "some private hospitals that claim they have isolation wards" for SARS patients, but the DOH "encourages private hospitals to refer (these patients) to San Lazaro."– With Nikko Dizon