DOH downplays disease that killed 3 kids in Manila

The Department of Health (DOH) clarified yesterday that meningo coccemia, the disease that killed three children in Manila last week, is not a new illness but has long been in existence in the country.

Edgar Hilario of the DOH Media Relations Unit disclosed that meningo coccemia is one of the many infectious diseases that the health department has been monitoring for a number of years along with measles, pneumonia, dengue fever and others.

The Manila Health Department the other day raised an alarm over the death of three children in Blumentritt, Sta. Cruz, from the ailment, which was reported as a new killer disease.

But Hilario said that even Dr. Eric Tayag of Central Luzon, who was quoted as saying that the disease is highly fatal and that infected persons can die only a few hours after developing the disease, knew that it is not a new illness.

To contain the spread of infection, the Manila City Health Department administered chemo prophylaxis vaccination to around 300 individuals or 50 families in Blumentritt where the children died.

Dr. Benjamin Yson, head of the local health division of preventable diseases, clarified that only one of the three children died of meningo coccemia. The two other fatalities, he said, died of other diseases — chronic blood disorder and bronchial asthma complicated by diarrhea — which are also being monitored by health authorities.

In Malacañang, Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said yesterday that the government has not discounted the threat of the deadly Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

So, while the Philippines remains out of danger from a SARS epidemic, the Palace appealed for the full cooperation of Filipino travelers who came from SARS-afflicted countries to undergo voluntary quarantine in their respective homes for seven days.

According to Bunye, this is the period of incubation when symptoms of the fatal illness would normally appear if a person is stricken with the SARS virus.

"We need the cooperation of our countrymen who come from countries with SARS cases to stay home for seven days," Bunye said. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe, Marichu Villanueva, Sandy Araneta, Mayen Jaymalin, Katherine Adraneda