(Eagle News Service) — The Department of Health said that one of the Filipino peacekeepers who recently came home from Liberia is suffering from high fever and had to be transferred to an isolation room after his temperature reached 39.6 degrees Celsius.
Acting Health Secretary Janette Garin said the soldier is also suffering from chills. She said that the peacekeeper might be suffering from malaria, or even ordinary flu, and not the dreaded Ebola virus.
Garin said the peacekeeper had suffered from malaria before when he was still posted in Liberia.
The soldier is now being treated in an undisclosed hospital where he would probably stay to complete the required 21-day quarantine period, according to the Department of Health
DOH officials also explained that the health workers treating the said soldier had not been required to put in any protective gear designed for Ebola yet.
They said that the results of the health tests of the soldier would be known after one or two days.
The DOH is also closely monitoring the other peacekeepers who came from Liberia.
It advised the public not to panic as the Philippines is still Ebola-virus free.
The DOH said that the public should also respect the privacy of the sick soldier whom DOH officials did not name.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines also said the public should not panic as the soldier being treated for fever, has not exhibited any symptoms of the dreaded Ebola virus disease.
AFP Public Affairs Office chief Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc said the morale of the other peacekeepers was also not affected with what happened to their colleague.
Cabunoc also appealed to the public not to send text messages that would cause panic to the population regarding the said sick soldier. ( with a report from Jerold Tagbo)