Central Visayas Remains Ebola Free – DOH7

The Department of Health (DOH)7 on Tuesday confirmed that Central Visayas remains an Ebola-free region but said they continuing to be cautious against this dreaded disease.

Dr. Dino Caing, section head of the Regional Epidemiology and Surveilance Unit (RESU) of DOH7, said not only Central Visayas region maintains the “White code” regarding this dangerous kind of epidemic but even the whole country as well.

Caing explained that the white code is the lowest level of alertness being raised by the medical society in the Philippines as far as Ebola virus is concerned.

“As of now, we are definitely Ebola free and we wish to maintain the white code status through our active preparations,” Caing told.

But the growing concern of the whole world regarding this killer Ebola has prompted the Philippine government to advance its alertness through the close coordination of all related agencies.

“We are closely coordinated with the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation (BID), Philippine Overseas Welfare Administration (POEA) Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), airports and seaports authorities in the region,” Caing said.

Caing added that through the alertness of these agencies, every movement of a person who is diagnosed of Ebola virus will be closely monitored.

“However the bottom line here is honesty of a concerned person to tell the truth regarding himself especially if he has able to contact any Ebola patient from abroad prior to his flight to the Philippines”, Caing said.

But even if an individual fails to tell the truth about his contact, the digital cameras to be used by the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) in determining the body temperature of any arriving passengers in the airports and seaports, are enough to prove all health status of all foreign arrivals here in Central Visayas.

According to Caing, to determine how many Central Visayas working abroad as Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who decided to come home especially during the Christmas season, the DOH, through the RESU office will be informed by the POEA, DOLE, BID, and OWWA.

Caing said that the RESU office will then communicate the BOQ to assign personnel at the airports or seaports to ensure that everybody will be screened by their equipment.

This is how the government watches all local inhabitants from the dreaded effect of Ebola virus, Caing said.

Image Credit: filipinotimes.ae