Lawmaker warns DOH vs plague detected in China

CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines — Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez yesterday warned the Department of Health (DOH) and airport authorities against the possible entry here of a deadly plague detected in China.            

“We have to strengthen and tighten our screening and quarantine measures against Chinese nationals coming from the affected region in China,” said Rodriguez, who was immigration commissioner during the Estrada administration.

He said the government has to take stronger measures, considering the huge number of Chinese arriving in the country every day and urged the Duterte administration to request China to put in place its own screening and quarantine protocols to prevent the spread of the disease.           

Rodriguez also suggested that the World Health Organization (WHO) send its experts to the affected areas in China to help authorities contain the plague.           

Early this month, the New York Times reported that two Chinese were diagnosed with the “highly infectious and fatal” pneumonic plague. The report said the patients were admitted in a hospital in Beijing.            

The Times said patients with the disease experience high fever and shortness of breath. The plague is also known as Black Death. It quoted the WHO as saying recovery rates are high if the disease is detected and treated with antibiotics within 24 hours from manifestation of symptoms.            

The report quoted a doctor at the Beijing hospital where the two patients were admitted: “After so many years of specialist training, I’m familiar with the diagnosis and treatment of most respiratory diseases. But this time, I looked and looked at it. I couldn’t guess what pathogen caused this pneumonia. I only knew it was rare.”            

Chinese authorities have reportedly assured their citizens that there was no cause for alarm or panic. They are monitoring the affected areas and patients showing symptoms of the disease.