Pinoy health workers urged to take precautions vs MERS

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates Grace Princesa has urged Filipino health workers in the region to take necessary precautions against the Middle East Respiratory coronavirus (Mers-CoV).

Princesa over the weekend advised Filipino workers to take better care of their health following the death of a Filipino paramedic infected with Mers-CoV in the city of Al Ain last week.

One paramedic died on Thursday in Al Ain after contracting the Mers-CoV virus, according to a statement from the UAE Ministry of Interior on Friday.

Five other paramedics, all of whom are Filipinos below the age of 40, are being quarantined and treated at a local hospital and are under observation, the envoy said.

“The embassy has not yet received official confirmation of the situation. A team is on its way to Al Ain to verify the information as we speak,” Princesa was quoted by Gulf News as saying.

“I urge all our compatriots to take care of their health and take preventive measures to protect themselves, especially from communicable diseases,” she said.

Princesa urged everyone working in the medical field to strictly follow standard health procedures of washing their hands, eating and sleeping well, to keep themselves strong against infections.

She said Filipinos comprise a large percentage of medical professionals, especially paramedics and nurses, in the UAE.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has yet to give details on the repatriation of the worker’s remains.