SAN FEERNANDO CITY, Nov. 11 (PIA) – The regional health department here is eyeing to put up temporary quarantine facilities for residents suspected to have contracted the ebola virus or those found exhibiting symptoms of the disease.
Dr. Myrna Cabotaje, Department of Health director in Region 1, said protocol mandates that ebola suspects must be transferred to the nearest DOH ebola-referral hospitals namely the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, San Lazaro Hospital and Lung Center of the Philippines all in Metro Manila.
“No home confinement is allowed for ebola suspects. Containment in hospital is immediate. Ideally, we need negative-pressure rooms which we do not have,” she said.
Cabotaje said state hospitals in the region merely have isolation rooms. She said the DOH can also set up temporary tents as isolation rooms for ebola suspects.
The regional health department’s preparation against the spread of ebola virus among returning Filipinos was discussed during a recent meeting here.
Epidemiology Surveillance Units in towns, cities, provinces were also asked to conduct daily monitoring of ebola suspects.
Cabotaje said airports and seaports which serve as entry points of returning OFWs have also devised a protocol against the virus.
In La Union seaport for example, quarantine officials start coordinating with sea vessels’ crew 48 hours before they arrive.
Upon the vessel’s arrival, quarantine officials board the ship and conduct random checking of temperatures of crew members.
Only when the crew members fail to exhibit any symptom that a quarantine clearance is given.
Cabotaje said the ebola protocol at the La Union seaport is conducted despite the absence of vessels coming from Africa.
“Most vessels coming in are from Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Korea and China,” she added.
She said the government has set in place ebola protocols to ensure that the virus does not enter the country.
“We are confident that no ebola virus will enter the region. Even if it does enter, we can contain it,” Cabotaje added. (ARZADON)