Reuters file photo of the MERS Coronavirus
MANILA, Philippines – There is “no more” active case of MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome) in the country but Filipinos still have to be “vigilant," Department of Health acting secretary Janet Garin said Friday as the DOH announced that the pregnant Filipino nurse from Saudi Arabia, who contracted the viral respiratory infection, had already been discharged.
“We’re happy to announce that our index case had been discharged,” said Garin during a press briefing at the SMX Convention in Pasay City referring to the Filipina nurse, who had been released from confinement at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine after a series of confirmatory tests yielded “negative results” from the patient’s sputum and rectal swabs.
Garin stressed that despite the positive development, Filipinos must still be “on guard” as there are many overseas Filipinos working in the Arab Peninsula or in the Middle East Region where the number of MERS-CoV cases had been increasing recently.
MERS deaths in Saudi surge
Deaths from the MERS virus have surged in Saudi Arabia, health ministry figures showed on Friday, after authorities warned of a seasonal increase in MERS Coronavirus.
The ministry recorded five deaths on Thursday alone, bringing to 16 the number since February 11.
That figure compares with a single death from the virus in the first 10 days of the month.
Saudi Arabia is the country that has been hardest hit by the MERS virus, which was first identified in 2012. A total of 899 people have been infected in the kingdom, of whom 382 have died.
Doctor Abdul Aziz bin Saeed, who heads the center coordinating the ministry's response to MERS, warned earlier this month that a surge in cases typically occurs around this time of year, because of the risks posed by newborn camels.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has cited the preliminary results of studies indicating that people working with camels are at increased risk of infection from MERS-CoV, and young camels are particularly susceptible.
Saeed said "you have more infected camels right now circulating."
The ministry reported new cases from across the kingdom. Half of those who died were in their 70s or 80s.
Public awareness drive continues
Meanwhile, Garin said the Filipina patient, who is six to seven weeks pregnant, still needs to comply with the 10-day home quarantine period as additional precautionary measure.
“Just to be sure we will still be observing her within that period in compliance with the health protocol,” the acting DOH chief said, adding that the patient was also advised to seek immediate consultation in case other health-related symptoms occur after the monitoring period to ensure her safety and the baby inside her womb.
A public awareness campaign is continuing. The WHO urged people working with camels to pay particular attention to personal hygiene.
Experts from WHO, the Food and Agriculture Organization and other UN agencies are concluding a mission to Saudi Arabia after "a surge in cases in the past few weeks," WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic said.
He told reporters in Geneva that more than 40 cases have been reported in the kingdom this month, including some contracted inside health facilities.
More than 20 countries have been affected by MERS but most cases have been linked to the Middle East.
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