DOH confirms meningococcemia death in Batangas
Published Oct 2, 2019 03:34 pm
By Betheena Kae Unite
A regional health official confirmed Wednesday that a 53-year-old woman from Tanauan, Batangas succumbed to meningococcemia in September while three more deaths in the province on the same month that could be linked to the infectious disease are being checked.
Department of Health (MANILA BULLETIN)
Department of Health-Calabarzon Regional Director Eduardo Janairo confirmed that the woman died due to meningococcemia based on the results from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM).
Janairo also bared that they are currently waiting for confirmation if the three deaths monitored in the province within three consecutive days late September are cases of meningoccocemia.
The three suspected meningoccocemia cases include the deaths of a one-year-old girl from Lian last September 27, a 46-year-old man from San Jose last September 28, and a two-year-old boy from Nasugbu last September 29.
Janairo said the case of the 53-year-old woman was only confirmed after her death. It was disclosed that the patient came home from Middle East this year. The regional director already ruled that the disease was acquired in the Philippines.
“May history na galing Saudi pero hindi natin masabi na dun galing ang sakit kasi incubation period is 1-10 days lang. So dito lang nakuha ‘yan (She came from Saudi but we could not say that she acquired the disease there because incubation period is only within 10 days. So, she acquired the disease here),” Janairo said.
The patient, according to Janairo, had bruises on her body and was experiencing headache, high-grade fever, and neck stiffness, which are common symptoms of the disease. That prompted them to get blood samples from the patient, which was sent to the RITM for confirmation.
‘No outbreak’
Despite the four deaths in only a month, with one confirmed meningoccocemia case, Janairo said there was no outbreak of the disease and the reported deaths were still considered isolated cases.
“Walang outbreak tayo. Isolated cases sila. Panakanaka, nagkakaroon naman talaga ng meningococcemia cases in the past years. Hindi naman malala na kalat na kalat at marami sa isang lugar nagkakaroon ng meningococcemia (There is no outbreak. Those are isolated cases. Those are sporadic cases, we actually have meningococcemia cases in the past years. It is not severe and is not widespread. There are no huge number of cases in a one place),” Janairo stressed.
The deaths in Batangas, he said, does not warrant the declaration of an outbreak because “the cases came from towns that are far from each other.”
“Those are still isolated cases because the places of the incidents ar not neighboring towns,” Janairo said.
Contact tracing was conducted in the four cases, the regional director said, to check whether the infection was transmitted to other persons near or who may had contact with the patients but the monitoring yielded negative results.
“’Pag may suspected cases tayo ng meningococcemia, nagko-contact tracing agad tayo niyan. So far, after 10 days of monitoring, wala naman ibang may meningococcemia symptoms sa mga na contact tracing. Sa contacts nung 4 ito ha (If there are suspected meningococcemia cases, we promptly conduct contact tracing. So far, after 10 days of monitoring, there are no other persons who were experiencing meningococcemia symptoms),” Janairo said.
According to the health official, those who has been exposed to possible infection were given prophylaxis, an antibiotic verus meningococcemia. “May gamot naman kasi ang meningococcemia (There’s actually a medicine for meningococcemia),” he said.
Avoid overcrowded places
While maintaining a strong immune system, a healthy lifestyle, and clean environment to avoid contracting meningococcemia, Janairo advised the public to avoid overcrowded places, especially during this season.
“Kahit anong sakit, laging sinasabi namin na palakasin ang resistensya ng katawan. Tamang pagkain, tulog, exercise. ‘Yan ay importante. Personal hygiene and environmental cleanliness. Sa paligid kasi nakukuha ang mga sakit (In every kind of disease, we always say that it’s important to maintain a strong immune system. Eat healthy, have enough sleep, and exercise. That’s important. Personal hygiene and environmental cleanliness because diseases are acquired in an environment),” the health official said.
“Sa meningococcemia, ‘pag may suspect, ‘wag lumapit kasi prolonged exposure or droplet galing ubo, sipon, laway na malanghap niyo ang nakakahawa, e. Iwasan ang crowded places lalo sa ganitong panahon na taglamig na at maraming may ubo at sipon (In order to avoid getting meningococcemia, you must stay away from someone carrying the disease because prolonged exposure or droplet from cough, saliva can transmit the infection. Avoid crowded places during this kind of season where a lot of people have cough and colds),” he added.
Department of Health (MANILA BULLETIN)
Department of Health-Calabarzon Regional Director Eduardo Janairo confirmed that the woman died due to meningococcemia based on the results from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM).
Janairo also bared that they are currently waiting for confirmation if the three deaths monitored in the province within three consecutive days late September are cases of meningoccocemia.
The three suspected meningoccocemia cases include the deaths of a one-year-old girl from Lian last September 27, a 46-year-old man from San Jose last September 28, and a two-year-old boy from Nasugbu last September 29.
Janairo said the case of the 53-year-old woman was only confirmed after her death. It was disclosed that the patient came home from Middle East this year. The regional director already ruled that the disease was acquired in the Philippines.
“May history na galing Saudi pero hindi natin masabi na dun galing ang sakit kasi incubation period is 1-10 days lang. So dito lang nakuha ‘yan (She came from Saudi but we could not say that she acquired the disease there because incubation period is only within 10 days. So, she acquired the disease here),” Janairo said.
The patient, according to Janairo, had bruises on her body and was experiencing headache, high-grade fever, and neck stiffness, which are common symptoms of the disease. That prompted them to get blood samples from the patient, which was sent to the RITM for confirmation.
‘No outbreak’
Despite the four deaths in only a month, with one confirmed meningoccocemia case, Janairo said there was no outbreak of the disease and the reported deaths were still considered isolated cases.
“Walang outbreak tayo. Isolated cases sila. Panakanaka, nagkakaroon naman talaga ng meningococcemia cases in the past years. Hindi naman malala na kalat na kalat at marami sa isang lugar nagkakaroon ng meningococcemia (There is no outbreak. Those are isolated cases. Those are sporadic cases, we actually have meningococcemia cases in the past years. It is not severe and is not widespread. There are no huge number of cases in a one place),” Janairo stressed.
The deaths in Batangas, he said, does not warrant the declaration of an outbreak because “the cases came from towns that are far from each other.”
“Those are still isolated cases because the places of the incidents ar not neighboring towns,” Janairo said.
Contact tracing was conducted in the four cases, the regional director said, to check whether the infection was transmitted to other persons near or who may had contact with the patients but the monitoring yielded negative results.
“’Pag may suspected cases tayo ng meningococcemia, nagko-contact tracing agad tayo niyan. So far, after 10 days of monitoring, wala naman ibang may meningococcemia symptoms sa mga na contact tracing. Sa contacts nung 4 ito ha (If there are suspected meningococcemia cases, we promptly conduct contact tracing. So far, after 10 days of monitoring, there are no other persons who were experiencing meningococcemia symptoms),” Janairo said.
According to the health official, those who has been exposed to possible infection were given prophylaxis, an antibiotic verus meningococcemia. “May gamot naman kasi ang meningococcemia (There’s actually a medicine for meningococcemia),” he said.
Avoid overcrowded places
While maintaining a strong immune system, a healthy lifestyle, and clean environment to avoid contracting meningococcemia, Janairo advised the public to avoid overcrowded places, especially during this season.
“Kahit anong sakit, laging sinasabi namin na palakasin ang resistensya ng katawan. Tamang pagkain, tulog, exercise. ‘Yan ay importante. Personal hygiene and environmental cleanliness. Sa paligid kasi nakukuha ang mga sakit (In every kind of disease, we always say that it’s important to maintain a strong immune system. Eat healthy, have enough sleep, and exercise. That’s important. Personal hygiene and environmental cleanliness because diseases are acquired in an environment),” the health official said.
“Sa meningococcemia, ‘pag may suspect, ‘wag lumapit kasi prolonged exposure or droplet galing ubo, sipon, laway na malanghap niyo ang nakakahawa, e. Iwasan ang crowded places lalo sa ganitong panahon na taglamig na at maraming may ubo at sipon (In order to avoid getting meningococcemia, you must stay away from someone carrying the disease because prolonged exposure or droplet from cough, saliva can transmit the infection. Avoid crowded places during this kind of season where a lot of people have cough and colds),” he added.