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[av_heading heading=’DOH SEES MORE PH ZIKA CASES
Jaro village fights mosquitoes with chemicals ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY MERIANNE GRACE EREÑETA
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ILOILO City – After Zika cases were discovered in this city, the Department of Health (DOH) said it’s possible there could be more Zika virus infections in the country.
“We will not be surprised anymore,” said Assistant Secretary Eric Tayag in Manila.
Today, residents of Barangay Benedicto, Jaro district are ready for the house-to-house “indoor residual spraying” targeting Zika mosquitoes.
The spraying aims to effectively stop the virus from spreading.
Iloilo City’s three Zika cases were all from Barangay Benedicto. The index case was a 45-year-old woman. The two others were members of her household.
Tayag said DOH has intensified its Zika surveillance.
Eatery operator Erwina Sarrosa of Barangay Benedicto said she already secured her utensils for today’s indoor residual spraying. She put them all in a plastic bag.
Indoor residual spraying is the application of long-acting chemical insecticides on the walls and roofs of houses and domestic animal shelters in a given area to kill the adult vector mosquitoes that land and rest on these surfaces.
“I won’t be cooking food while the DOH team is spraying,” said Sarrosa in Hiligaynon.
Another Barangay Benedicto resident, Sally Datiles, said she already secured her water containers.
“I have prepared my house for this,” she said.
Iloilo’s first Zika case is the sixth recorded in the country and the first local transmission of the virus since 2012.
The first case recorded in 2012 involved a 12-year-old boy in Cebu who had no travel history to any foreign country with Zika infection.
The other four cases were all foreigners who had travelled in the country but there was no certainty where they acquired the virus.
Tayag said searching the breeding sites of mosquitoes and destroying them can prevent the spread of mosquitoes capable of transmitting Zika virus.
“The key to Zika prevention is heightened vigilance,” said Tayag.
Other safety precautions versus mosquito bites include use of insect repellants and wearing of clothing that prevents skin exposure to mosquito bites.
Tayag said insect repellants are useful for those with Zika as they can help in preventing the spread of the virus to others.
On the other hand, if one has applied insect repellant, he or she cannot become Zika carrier.
The DOH official clarified though that in terms of severity, Zika infection is milder compared to dengue.
He said symptoms suffered by a person with Zika are manageable.
The only danger of having Zika is if the infected person is a pregnant woman, said Tayag.
“Maaaring magsilang ng baby na may congenital defect o microcephaly (small heads),” he stressed.
Common symptoms are flu-like such as fever, rashes, joint pains, redness of eyes. Sometimes, not all of these symptoms can be seen, said Tayag.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) manual for indoor residual spraying listed the following procedures for households prior to the activity:
* Remove all household items, including water, food, cooking utensils and toys, from the house. Move and cover, or remove, any furniture to allow easy access for spraying walls. Items that cannot be removed should be well covered.
* Cage or tether pets and domestic animals away from the house.
WHO also listed the following things households must do after spraying:
* Household occupants should stay outside until the spray is dry.
* Householder should sweep or mop the floor before children or pets are allowed to re-enter.
* Householder should not to clean the sprayed surfaces. (With a report from the Philippine News Agency/PN)
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