Fever downs Peacekeeper

CEBU, Philippines - The Armed Forces of the Philippines appealed for calm yesterday following reports that a Filipino Peacekeeper has developed fever Thursday evening at Caballo Island where the 133 Peacekeepers from the Ebola-stricken West African state of Liberia are on a 21-day quarantine period following their repatriation to the country on Wednesday.

AFP Public Affairs Office chief Colonel Harold Cabunoc said that military and the Department of Health are on top of the situation, saying that the sick soldier could just be suffering from an ordinary illness.

“We are appealing to the general public not to panic. We will follow the advice of DOH officials regarding our Peacekeeper who has fever. This could not be the cause of panic as the AFP and the DOH are on top of the situation,” Cabunoc said.

Reports said the sick Peacekeepers was down with fever Thursday night and was immediately isolated. It was also reported the Peacekeeper was a former malaria patient and he could just be suffering from a relapse.

He said that the DOH is taking care of the situation with the full support of the military as per agreed protocol to keep the country Ebola-free.

Before their repatriation, the Filipino Peacekeepers were subjected to a United Nation-supervised Ebola-screening test in Monrovia and were all declared under a “no-risk” category.

“They don’t have any exposure to Ebola-infected areas in Liberia,” Cabunoc said, adding while he is not the right person to speak on this concern but only the DOH, there is always that possibility that the sick soldier could just be suffering from fatigue as a result of their long air, land and sea travel.

The Filipino Peacekeepers from Liberia arrived at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City on board a chartered UN flight late Wednesday afternoon and were immediately transported via three buses to a waiting Navy ship that brought them to Caballo Island at Sangley Point in Cavite

Fever is just one of the many of symptoms to show that a patient is stricken with the deadly Ebola virus that is now sweeping several states in West Africa including Liberia. — Philippine STAR News Service