By RAYMART ESCOPEL
ILOILO City — The Department of Health (DOH) in Western Visayas is carrying out measures to prevent the deadly Ebola virus from entering the region.
In an advisory, DOH said it is strictly monitoring passengers at seaports and airports, providing health information checklists to those from abroad.
It is also spreading important information about the disease, and training health workers on how to care for Ebola patients and to protect themselves from the virus.
Those who live or have traveled in Ebola-affected countries have high risk of acquiring the disease, the DOH said. House helps, relatives of Ebola patients, and doctors, nurses and laboratory workers are at high risk, too.
Ebola virus disease or Ebola hemorrhagic fever is currently affecting countries in West Africa.
Among its symptoms are fever, headache, sore throat, and muscle pains, usually followed by nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, along with malfunctioning of the liver and kidneys, which lead to bleeding.
Symptoms usually appear two to 21 days after contamination. Other symptoms include hematoma and reddening of the eyes.
The disease can be acquired through direct contact with a person positive of Ebola, exposure to the patient’s body fluids and contaminated belongings, and contact with a cadaver of an Ebola-infected person.
Ebola virus is not airborne and thus cannot be transferred by coughing or sneezing, the DOH clarified.
DOH advised those from abroad, especially if they have the symptoms, to submit a health information checklist to quarantine officers.
Suspected cases may be taken to the hospital for the administration of oral and intravenous fluids or blood transfusion, but putting the patient under quarantine would be best, DOH said.
There is no available vaccine against Ebola yet.
DOH urged the public to make hand-washing a habit, avoid contact with a patient without having safety protection, and avoid touching any part of the face with unwashed hands or fingers.
For more information about Ebola, the public may contact the DOH hotline 7111001./PN
