Press Release No. 178-03
16 April 2003
SARS DESKS
SET UP FOR FILIPINOS IN THE U.S.
The Department of Foreign Affairs announced Monday that it has installed
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) desks in our Embassy and Consulates
in the United States. This is a contingency measure ordered by Secretary
Ople to all Posts last week as a preventive measure and to reduce panic among
our compatriots overseas.
The Philippine Consulate in New York reported that it has been providing
updated information and advisories from the World Health Organization (WHO),
the U.S. Center for Disease Control and the U.S. Department of Health.
Secretary Ople declared that “the more the SARS virus spreads globally, the
more we have to closely monitor information and progress on the cure of the
disease to avoid widespread panic.”
The Consulate in New York has called upon Filipino-American community organizations
in their area to share with consular officials any information on possible
SARS cases involving Filipino nationals. Among those organizations
are the Philippine Nurses Association of America, Nurses Associations of
New York, New Jersey, Alumni Associations and Medical Association of America.
To monitor Filipino workers including seamen, the Consulate also made contact
with Filipino organizations located at the Ports of New York-New Jersey and
Pennsylvania-Delaware. So far the Post has no reported SARS cases involving
Filipinos.
Earlier, Secretary Ople had issued a statement saying that the Philippines
was fortunate to have no known SARS cases to date while maintaining that
special care should be given to the health needs of OFWs, including Filipino
seafarers who travel from port to port.
The DFA reminds Filipino travelers to view the websites of the Philippine
Consulates General in New York, Los Angeles and others abroad as well as
the WHO website (www.who.int) for more information about the status of countries
with known SARS cases. END