OFWs in West Africa warned anew on Ebola virus

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) yesterday again reminded Filipino workers in West Africa to take necessary precautions against the Ebola virus.

POEA chief Hans Cacdac said Filipinos in West Africa should avoid close contact with persons and animals infected with the deadly virus.

Medical experts said Ebola virus can be transmitted through close contact with bodily fluids such as sweat, blood and saliva of an infected person or animal, and the only way to contain the outbreak is to stop further infections.

Citing the Department of Health advisory, Cacdac said Filipino workers should avoid handshakes, refrain from eating raw meat and avoid travel to areas where there is a reported outbreak.

Earlier, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) advised overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in West Africa to observe safety measures against the Ebola outbreak.

Ebola virus has killed many people in Guinea since Feb. 9.

Based on POEA’s data, there are nearly 400 Filipinos in Guinea as of 2012. A total of 4,620 OFWs, including those in Guinea, have been deployed to 14 Western African countries.

There is no reported case of any Filipino affected by the Ebola outbreak in western Africa, but a number of Filipinos have already returned from Africa to escape the outbreak.

The DOLE is closely coordinating with the Department of Foreign Affairs in monitoring the situation in West Africa and ensuring the protection of OFWs.