DOH: 11 on MERS-CoV watch

MANILA, Philippines - Eleven of the 56 individuals who have had close contact with the Filipina nurse who earlier tested positive for the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus (MERS-CoV) have developed symptoms of the disease, the Department of Health (DOH) said yesterday.

But the DOH said the initial round of tests conducted on the 11 yielded negative results.

Acting Health Secretary Janette Garin said the 11 patients who are on quarantine at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), including the nurse’s husband would undergo further tests to ensure that they are free of MERS-CoV.

Garin said a symptomatic patient who initially tested negative would have to undergo two to three more tests – taken two days apart – to be officially declared free of the virus.

Those who tested positive for MERS-CoV during initial testing will also be subjected to two more confirmatory tests, she said.

“The 11 patients manifested flu-like symptoms. Some of them have cough. The others have pneumonia-like symptoms. We did not consider them as entirely negative based on the advice of the WHO (World Health Organization) and CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention),” Garin said.

The DOH had initially collected and tested nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal samples from the patients.

Garin said WHO officials have recommended that the patients’ rectal samples be examined too.

Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. of the Presidential Communications Operations Office assured the public that measures are in place to prevent the spread of MERS-CoV in the country.

He said the government has been intensifying efforts to guard all ports of entry.

The 32-year-old nurse, who is four to five weeks pregnant, returned home with her husband on Saudia Flight 860 on Feb. 1. She did not manifest MERS-CoV symptoms during the flight.

The following day, she developed cough, fever and shortness of breath so she went to the Evangelista Medical Specialty Hospital in Pacita, San Pedro, Laguna for consultation.

Garin said the rest of the 56 individuals who had close contact with the nurse are workers at the Laguna hospital.

Although the nurse’s mother-in-law and housemaid were not showing symptoms, the DOH placed them on quarantine at the RITM.

Cecilia Evangelista, owner of the Laguna hospital, said they had placed the nurse on isolation since Feb. 2 prior to her transfer to the RITM in Muntinlupa on Feb. 11.

Evangelista assured the public that the hospital has been complying with the precautionary measures being implemented by the DOH.

She said the hospital had initiated disinfection but the DOH and WHO would be conducting another disinfection.

MERS-CoV scare

Meanwhile, San Pedro Mayor Lourdes Cataquiz asked her constituents not to panic.

Contrary to reports, Cataquiz said classes at the Pacita Elementary School have not been cancelled. She admitted, however, that some parents did not let their children attend school when news broke about the MERS-CoV case.

Co-passengers

The DOH clarified that the nurse had 220 – not 225 – co-passengers on Saudia Flight 860.

Garin said 92 of the passengers “have been located and agreed to be tested.”

She urged the passengers to contact the agency’s hotline (02) 711-1001 or (02) 711-1002 to make sure that they are free of MERS-CoV.

“While MERS-CoV has a mortality rate of 30 percent, human-to-human transmission is not that easy so there is no reason to panic. However, we have to be vigilant in watching out for flu-like and asthma-like symptoms among travelers coming from the Middle East countries,” Garin said.

Health authorities in Zamboanga City were able to locate two of the five passengers who had close contact with the nurse.

City health officer Rodelyn Agbulos said the two have not shown any symptoms of MERS-CoV but swab samples taken from them were sent to the RITM for further examination. — With Aurea Calica, Roel Pareno