Department of Foreign Affairs building INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) advised Filipinos in the Middle East to remain calm and not panic amid the spread of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome – Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) as well as false rumors regarding it.
The DFA and Department of Health (DOH) issued Monday eight reminders for Filipinos on how they can help stop the spread of the virus and urged them to not believe in rumors.
“One rumor alleges that ‘UAE health authorities’ have warned people to stay away for 72 hours from places such as malls, beaches hospitals, parks, and other locations that are believed to be ‘hotspots for the new killing virus’,” DFA said.
“The Health Authority of Abu Dhabi (HAAD) subsequently denied issuing this statement,” it said.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has not declared any outbreak or epidemic of MERS-CoV in the Middle East. There are also no travel restrictions to and from the Middle East.
Recently, one Filipino health worker has died in Saudi Arabia, another who returned to the Philippines from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had tested positive for the virus abroad before he tested negative here.
The DFA advised Filipinos to follow these eight reminders to prevent the further spread of the virus:
1. Practice proper hand hygiene always, by washing your hands with soap or hand rubs with alcohol before and after eating; before and after handling, cooking and preparing food; after coughing, sneezing and using the toilets; and before and before and after touching animals.
2. Practice proper cough etiquette by covering your mouth and nose while sneezing or coughing. Use a facial tissue when coughing or sneezing and cover your mouth and nose with it. Dispose the tissue in a waste basket.
3. Avoid contact with farm and domesticated animals, including camels.
4. Avoid contact with people sick or infected with MERS-CoV. If you have a respiratory illness, stay home and wear a surgical mask to protect your family members.
5. If you are a health worker, strictly follow infection control protocols in your work.
6. Visit your doctor, a hospital or health facility immediately if symptoms of MERS-CoV manifest itself, including persistent coughing, and others.
7. If you were in close contact with a confirmed MERS-CoV patient, comply with local health regulations and postpone any trip abroad until after test results are negative.
8. Practice healthy habits such as regular exercise, balanced and nutritional diet, and adequate sleep of at least 8 hours, as it would help strengthen the body’s immunity.
According to WHO, there has been 243 confirmed cases of MERS-CoV worldwide, including 93 deaths since March 2012.
There are at least 2 million permanent, temporary, and illegal Filipinos in Saudi Arabia and UAE as of Dec 2012 according to records from the Commission on Filipinos Overseas.
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