Local health authorities confirmed recently that a farm worker was infected with the Ebola-Reston virus, highlighting concerns the country is susceptible to new and emerging diseases.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), bird flu and now the Ebola-Reston virus are the new emerging disease that currently concern health officials, says Dr. Lee Suy, head of the Department of Health (DOH) Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Disease Program.
Asia is an epicenter of new and emerging diseases. In just a decade, it has battled SARS and avian influenza, or bird flu.
In July 200, the World Health Organization finally declared that the last chain of SARS transmission had been interrupted and the global outbreak contained.
Less than six months later, in December 2003, an even greater threat – the avian influenza H5N1 virus, or bird flu – emerged.
While bird flu has not been reported here, -- so far –the DOH is watching out for its possible entry.
The agency is also wary of re-emerging diseases like the unexpected and unusual increase of meningococcal disease in the Cordilleras in 2004 to 2005 that led to high death rates in the early stage and caused much public anxiety.
“A re-emergence of such an old disease is always a possibility, thus preparedness should be geared for them as well,” says Dr. Lee Suy.
“Preparedness for other emerging infections with potential for causing high cases and deaths are currently being done,” he says. “The aim is to assist local governments and hospitals develop their capabilities for appropriate response.”
Surveillance, quarantine and isolated measures as well as rapid contact tracing are in place in communities, Dr. Lee Suy says.
“It’s an issue for the region as a whole and, in fact, globally because certain conditions – increase in the population size, increased urbanization, the rapid way in which we can travel now – all of these have compounded to increase the potential risk of emerging infectious diseases.
|
