SAN JOSE, Antique – The Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) here said no new case of meningococcemia has so far been reported after the death of a three-year-old boy suspected to have acquired the disease.
IPHO chief Dr. Ric Noel Naciongayo on Monday said their medical team is visiting daily the village where the boy went for a vacation to check for possible signs of the disease on the people who had contact with the victim. None of them had been reported to show signs of the disease.
“Aside from our surveillance, we also urged people in the barangay or those who had contact with the boy to report immediately to the health team if they developed fever or any signs and symptoms of meningococcemia and so far, there had been none,” he added.
The IPHO team administered prophylaxis Rifampicin and Ciprofloxacin to around 70 villagers and to those who had contact with the boy including the medical team.
“Even if there is no more suspected meningococcemia case, the IPHO will continue its surveillance to ensure that no similar disease will occur,” Naciongayo said.
He added they have yet to confirm the cause of the boy’s death based on the results of the blood sample submitted for laboratory examination to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine.
The boy, who was on vacation with his mother in Barangay Buhang, Hamtic town, was rushed to the Angel Salazar Memorial General Hospital here on Jan. 13 due to fever, convulsion and vomiting.
He passed away on the same day and his body was immediately buried at the Egaña Municipal Cemetery in Sibalom town upon the advice of the medical team to ensure no one would be exposed to the disease.(With a report from PNA/PN)
