SARS cases now 16—DOH

Two more probable cases of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome were admitted yesterday to the San Lazaro Hospital in Manila, bringing to 16 the total number of suspected SARS cases still confined in Philippine hospitals, the Department of Health (DOH) reported yesterday.

Dr. Consorcia Lim-Quizon, head of the National Epidemiology Center, said both patients have high fever and a history of travel to SARS-infected countries. No other details were given.

Since March 17, a total of 77 SARS suspects were admitted in hospitals all over the country, 61 of whom have already been discharged. There were, however, only 10 confirmed SARS cases, with two deaths. Two other patients recovered from the illness.

Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, the Filipina domestic helper who was hospitalized for SARS was discharged yesterday after two weeks of treatment.

Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas said only one overseas Filipino worker (OFW) in Hong Kong remained under confinement for SARS.

Since the outbreak of the disease, a total of nine SARS cases were recorded among Filipinos in Hong Kong. Of this number, two have died but all the others have recovered from the deadly infection.

Quizon said "it’s next to impossible" to stop imported cases of SARS from coming into the country so the focus of the DOH now is to control local transmission of the deadly disease.

She revealed that teams of infectious diseases experts were already formed to evaluate the readiness of government-run referral hospitals in handling SARS cases.

"The experts are checking not only if the hospitals have infection control facilities but also the preparedness of the staff," she said.

The DOH announced it was planning to build a nationwide network of regional SARS response centers with the same capability as the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Muntinlupa City. The centers would be set up in the cities of Baguio, Cebu and Davao to help the health care system in the countryside cope with any SARS outbreak.

Meanwhile, President Arroyo and congressional leaders agreed yesterday to include the proposed anti-SARS measure among the 14 priority bills of Congress.

Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said the anti-SARS bill would be known as the Public Health Threat and Quarantine Act of 2003.

No cause for panic

In a press statement issued before the meeting of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) yesterday, Mrs. Arroyo reassured the public of the government’s policy of transparency and full disclosure of new SARS cases.

She appealed to the public though to remain calm but alert. "The key to fighting this disease is individual diligence and discipline. Be accountable for yourself and for the welfare of others," the President stressed.

Vice President Teofisto Guingona Jr., however, warned Malacañang and health officials against "overreacting" to the SARS threat, saying it could give a false impression abroad that the Philippines has become a SARS danger zone.

"There is no need to panic," Guingona told The STAR yesterday. "This is a medical situation and I’m sure the medics would know how to handle the situation."

Guingona said government could be overreacting with its plans to delay the opening of classes this year and to set up a national network of SARS clinics which, he said, could only create a negative image abroad that the SARS problem in the Philippines is more severe than it really is.

Instead, he suggested that government should focus on a campaign to remind Filipinos of the need to maintain a healthy lifestyle and to keep a sanitary neighborhood. "After doing these, we have to go on with our natural lives," the Vice President said.

Over the weekend, Education Secretary Edilberto de Jesus said that classes would open as scheduled on June 9, adding he is not inclined to postpone it as a precautionary health measure.

A temporary situation

Even the World Bank believes that the effects of the SARS epidemic on the economy of Asia in general would only be short-term, with China taking the worst of the impact.

In a taped video message presented before the SARS Global Health Scares conference at the Asian Institute of Management yesterday, World Bank Interim Chief Economist, Maureen Lewis said economic recovery in the region will commence as soon as a cure is found against SARS.

Lewis warned though that the expected slowdown in the economy of China is expected to have an impact on the rest of the region as the country has been an engine of growth in the region.

In the same forum, Dayrit pointed out that the fight is not only against the infection but also on public hysteria brought about by the disease.

Yesterday, a balikbayan who just returned to the country the other day from Taiwan created panic at the DFA when he turned up to renew his passport.

Foreign Affairs spokesman Victoriano Lecaros said the resident physician, Dr. Natividad Vizcarra, was immediately called to conduct a medical examination on the applicant.

Though found negative for SARS symptoms, the applicant was brought to the San Lazaro Hospital for further medical tests.

Dayrit appealed to the media and the private sector to help provide good cohesive information for the public in order to prevent panic due to misinformation. — With Marichu Villanueva, Sammy Santos, Pia Lee-Brago, Mayen Jaymalin, Marvin Sy