Government intensifies efforts to prevent spread of MERS-CoV

The government intensifies the monitoring of airports, seaports and other points of entry to prevent the spread of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in the country, Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. of the Presidential Communications Operations Office the Palace said.

Secretary Coloma said that based on the latest reports of the Department of Health there is only one confirmed case of MERS-CoV in the country--the Filipino nurse who returned from Saudi Arabia last February 1.

The nurse, who remains in hospital, arrived in the Philippines through Saudi Airlines flight 860.

According to the DOH last Friday, 92 individuals from the 220 passengers of the Saudi Airlines were contact traced by health officials.

The DOH also said that two of the passengers in the same flight is considered to be symptomatic of the virus and are currently under isolation, Coloma said.

The Palace also appealed for public cooperation to prevent the spread of the virus.

"Muli po kaming nananawagan sa ating mga mamamayan na sundin at tumalima sa mga paalalang pangkalusugan o health advisories ng DOH tungkol sa MERS-CoV," Coloma said.

He also allayed public fears about the virus saying that according to the DOH and World Health Organization, MERS-CoV is not highly contagious and an infected person could only spread the disease through close contact with other individuals. (PCOO News Release)