After landslides Meningococcemia scare hounds Samar capital

CATBALOGAN CITY, Philippines – Two deaths from suspected cases of meningococcemia that were reportedly brought back to this city yesterday from a hospital in Tacloban City had cause widespread fear among residents amid the absence of laboratory results that will confirm the real medical issues of the fatalities.

City Health Officer Gerarda Tizon, however, clarified that the cases were yet to be confirmed and will have to wait for two to three days to determine if the cause of death of an adult and a baby, both from this city, were really due to meningococcemia virus.

"Initial indications may lead to meningococcemia, but only a laboratory examination can confirm it. But because of the leading symptoms, we opted to inform the concerned families to immediately bury the bodies, although there is no reason for the public to panic," Tizon said.

Contact tracing was also conducted by Tizon's team yesterday afternoon to initiate prophylaxis activities especially to all persons who have been in direct contact with the two patients, but she clarified there was no need for quarantine.

Meanwhile, City Mayor Step Uy Tan clarified, that the meningococcemia scare was not the reason of the 2-day class suspension declared by the city government starting yesterday until today.

The mayor informed that the class suspension in all levels both for public and private schools based in this city was because of still abnormal situation in villages affected by the series of landslides and flooding brought about by storm Seniang.

"Our schools are still being used as evacuation centers, as of today, and we are still reeling from the impact of Seniang. There are unstable slopes in some villages, and we don't want to jeopardize the safety of our students," Tan told The Freeman.

Tan added that the meningococcemia scare occurred only yesterday morning, while the suspension of classes for Monday and Tuesday was already proposed and announced earlier on Sunday.