Council asks CHO for health measures

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City Council has approved the resolution that Councilor Alvin Dizon authored requesting the City Health Office (CHO) to come up with a recommended program on public health measures on respiratory infections.

This is to ensure that the Cebuanos are given the proper information and adequate protection against the “viral pneumonia of unknown origin” linked to China, amid concerns that the flu-like virus is linked to the highly contagious Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) virus that caused hundreds of deaths in Asia and some other places 17 years ago.

Dizon enjoined the Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) to implement precautionary measures to prevent the entry and spread of the disease such as temperature screenings, on board inspections of flights from China, promotion of health awareness before passengers disembark steps to clean, and disinfecting planes from China, among others.

“The need to roll out precautionary measures to prevent the entry and spread of this mysterious virus is both urgent and imperative given that this is a serious public health threat,” said Dizon.

Cebu City is a top tourist destination having direct flights from China.

At present, there are 36 flights from Cebu to several cities in China, making Chinese tourists as the second top in the region’s tourism market.

Cases of pneumonia of unknown cause were detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province of China.

The clinical signs and symptoms are mainly fever, difficulty in breathing, and chest radiographs showing invasive lesions of both lungs of persons infected.

In its national advisory, the Department of Health (DOH) has directed all regional health departments in the Philippines and instructed the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) to intensify the checking of all incoming travelers, especially those manifesting fever or signs of respiratory infection.

“Advancement in modern travels, which makes it easy and fast to cross borders between and among places and countries, has also made people vulnerable to the fast spread of diseases of all sorts,” said Dizon.  GAN (FREEMAN)