Report guests with MERS-CoV symptoms, resort owners asked

MANILA, Philippines - Resort owners in Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan (Mimaropa) have been asked to report to the Department of Health (DOH) if they have guests who may have symptoms of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome – Corona Virus (MERS-CoV).

Eduardo Janairo, DOH director for Mimaropa, made the call, saying they still have to locate the two co-passengers of a Filipina nurse who was diagnosed with MERS-CoV.? The two passengers listed a resort in Palawan as their address in the health declaration checklist they filled out before disembarking from the plane.

Janairo said none of nurse’s co-passengers checked in at the resorts they had so far contacted.

“We will continue our monitoring activities for MERS-CoV. We will be meeting with the resort operators to make sure that they know what they will look for,” Janairo said.

He said resort owners should report to the DOH if they have guests who have symptoms such as cough, fever and shortness of breath or have traveled to a country with MERS-CoV cases.

Meanwhile, five female overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from Negros Occidental, who were co-passengers of the Filipina nurse, tested negative for the virus.

 Negros Occidental health officer Ernell Tumimbang said swab samples from the five OFWs showed they did not contract viral infection.

The OFWs have no symptoms of the disease, Tumimbang added. – With Danny Dangcalan