Ebola

Ebola is an infectious, often fatal, disease in humans and primates, such as monkeys, gorillas and chimpanzees. There is no vaccine available yet for its treatment.

“Health authorities in the country are not letting their guard down on the possible entry of any emerging infectious disease,” Ona said.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has raised Alert Level 2 in three countries experiencing outbreaks of Ebola infection–Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. Filipino workers with new contracts in the said countries were not allowed to leave the Philippines.

Ona said the Health Emergency Management Staff of the DOH is monitoring daily the health condition of the seven overseas workers, who arrived between June 26 and July 15, from Sierra Leone.

The DOH also directed Regional health officials to stand by in case a returning overseas Filipino worker will be found to have symptoms of the Ebola disease. They have been tasked to be in charge of the admission of patients to the nearest government hospital.

Health care and laboratory workers exposed to secretions and specimens from infected individuals are most at risk to contract Ebola, said Ona.

“Proper coordination of Philippine labor officials (Department of Labor and Employment, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, Overseas Workers Welfare Association) is now being undertaken with the DFA and the Bureau of Immigration, for possible repatriation,” he added.

References:

“DOH ‘closely Monitoring’ 7 OFWs from Ebola-hit Sierra Leone.” Inquirer Global Nation. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2014.

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