Indian in Baguio cleared of SARS

Health Secretary Manuel Dayrit yesterday removed a 21-year-old Indian missionary from the list of 64 individuals suspected of having Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

The Indian woman was confined in a hospital in Baguio City after initially showing signs of the disease.

Dayrit said the Indian woman will be dropped from the official tally since findings indicate the patient was suffering from acute respiratory tract infection, not SARS.

"I am happy to announce that the Indian missionary... is a case of respiratory tract infection and will be discharged shortly. It’s not SARS," Dayrit said.

Dayrit made the report to allay apprehensions about the possible outbreak of SARS in Baguio City after city health officials officially listed the Indian woman as a suspected SARS case.

Baguio City Mayor Bernardo Vergara also denied that the country’s summer capital may have been hit by the killer virus, declaring the city remains "SARS-free."

Vergara also reported that the Indian missionary has been declared "ready for release" by health officials led by Dr. Manuel Factora, director of the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC).

"Dr. Factora has reported to us that the patient’s x-ray showed no signs of pneumonia. While the case was viral in nature, it was definitely not SARS-connected," Vergara said.

"Ang mahirap kasi, suspected SARS case pa lang, nako-confirm na ng walang basehan (What’s wrong is that even if it is only a suspected SARS, it is confirmed without basis)," Vergara said, taking exception to reports that Baguio City was already hit by the dreaded killer virus.

Dr. Factora also pointed out that the Indian national presently confined at the BGHMC was admitted Sunday night, adding the patient "wanted to be quarantined" after experiencing fever and cough.

The 21-year-old Indian was among five other individuals who arrived in the country on April 26 after month-long missionary work in Cambodia and Thailand, countries not listed by the World Health Organization (WHO) as having "community transmitted" SARS cases.

Health officials said the Indian stayed in Bangkok from March 11 to April 25, and arrived in Manila on Saturday, April 26. From Manila, the Indian missionary took a five-hour bus trip to Baguio City.

Dr. Julius Alcala, head of the Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit of the Department of Health-Cordillera Autonomous Region last Monday confirmed the Indian missionary had cough and fever and was being watched for SARS.

Dr. Cecilia Brillantes, head of the Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit of the Baguio Health Department (BHD) in an interview with The STAR, defended her earlier decision classifying the Indian as a "suspected SARS victim", although she confirmed the patient will be discharged from the hospital.

Brillantes said further observations indicated the patient is suffering from hypo-upper respiratory tract infection, based on the X-ray results. The Indian, she added, also did not show signs of pneumonia.

Vergara, for his part, said four people, including two foreigners, who had contact with the Indian missionary are not showing any SARS symptoms.

"They are presently isolated in their respective residences and are being subjected to hour-by-hour monitoring by city health workers. So far, the monitoring is yielding negative findings (for SARS)," the mayor said.

He noted medical cases outside the city and the CAR tend to seek treatment in the city’s hospital because of modern facilities and specialized equipment.

Vergara also announced the city government has alloted P1 million for a local SARS information campaign and directed the creation of SARS preventive management task forces in the various barangays to assist health authorities in monitoring the arrival of transients and residents from SARS-infected countries.

Even as the city remains SARS-free, Vergara said they will remain vigilant to prevent the spread of the disease.