Press Release No. 200-03
29 April 2003
DFA BRIEFS
DIPLOMATIC CORPS ON SARS IN R.P.
Upon instructions of DFA Secretary Blas F. Ople, Acting Secretary Delia
D. Albert briefed the diplomatic corps on the current situation of
SARS in the Philippines. To this date, there are three confirmed cases,
one of whom has already recovered.
Undersecretary Albert was assisted by Director Cordcordia Lim-Quizon, head
of the National Epidemiology Center of the Department of Health and
Mr. Ferdinand Victoria, case officer from the Office of the Undersecretary
of Migrant Workers Affairs.
Director Lim-Quizon gave an update on the response and strategies employed
by the Department of Health to counter the spread of SARS in the country.
She identified the following:
(1) prevention of entry through quarantine and referral to designated
hospitals of suspected SARS cases;
(2) hospital preparedness;
(3) clinical management; and
(4) surveillance and contact tracing and networking with other agencies
of government such as the National Security Council, LGU's, the WHO
(World Health Organization), professional medical societies and the Philippine
Hospitals Association. She highlighted the need for the public to be
properly informed about the viral disease.
To give an idea how DOH handles specific cases, Director Lim-Quizon narrated
how Adela Catalon of Pangasinan caught the virus in Toronto, Canada
from Filipinos who made a stopover in Hong Kong from a visit to the
Philippines last month. She also expounded on the means to arrest the
spread of SARS in the country and provided a list of Medical Centers
and Regional Hospitals involved in SARS prevention.
The DFA meanwhile explained, especially to those coming from affected areas,
what precautions to take before travelling to the Philippines. It must
be noted that all but one of the reported SARS related cases in the
country were people living overseas coming home.
The briefing to the diplomatic corps was to inform them that the Philippine
government is coping with the situation.
END