CPDRC measles cases still rising

CEBU, Philippines - Measles cases at the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center continue  to  increase.

CPDRC Warden Romeo Manansala said the number of cases as of yesterday has grown to 60, with 36 inmates more, who include a female, suffering from measles-like symptoms.

The 36 are now being isolated to avoid further spreading the disease.

Last Thursday, when The FREEMAN visited the jail, at least 43 measles inmates were reported to have contracted the disease since June 9, when the disease first afflicted the inmates.

Manansala also reported that 24 of the 60 inmates have already been discharged from  the isolation room.

He said inmates who have been experiencing fever, one of the symptoms of measles, were already segregated as a precautionary measure,

 “Naa nay gipanghilantan pa. Gi-isolate na lang namo daan. Wa na mi naghuwat nga naa nay manurok (We no longer waited for the bumps to appear, Inmates who got fever are isolated already),” he said in a telephone interview.

The Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit-7 earlier directed the jail management  to screen visitors of detainees to stem the spread of the disease, considering that the measles virus is carried airborne and could be caught through physical contact and droplets from the sneeze or cough of the infected.

Manansala said children are also barred from entering the facility for  now.

 “Katong mga dagko sab, likayan gyod ang pagduol sa (The adults, on the other hand, were barred from going near the) isolation room.”

The CPDRC is open to visitors Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Manansala said another team from the RESU-7 is expected to visit the facility today.

Last week, the RESU-7and Provincial Health Office personnel took blood samples from those who first showed symptoms and confirmed that they indeed got infected with measles.— (FREEMAN)