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| Situation Update No. 2 Ref.no.: EH-20091204-24055-PHL
Situation Update No. 2
On 2010-03-02 at 11:20:51 [UTC]
Event: Epidemic Hazard
Location: Philippines Province of Isabela Isabela
Number of Deads: 2 person(s)
Number of Infected: 150 person(s)
Situation: The Department of Health (DoH) has sent experts to Nueva Vizcaya to shed light on the death of two persons and the hospitalization of 150 others in a village in Lasam town. Local experts suspect the cause of deaths and illnesses were due to the Anthrax bacteria. However, Department of Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral said it was unlikely the deaths were caused by Anthrax. Two epidemiologists will coordinate with local experts to study the cases and to find out if there are more cases that were unreported, Dr. Eric Tayag, National Epidemiology Center (NEC) chief said in an interview. Last Friday, two people were reported dead and 150 more fell ill after eating meat taken from a dead carabao. But doctors in the area are yet to release a full report on the cases. Tayag said the DoH receives reports of Anthrax infections yearly but this is the first time Anthrax-related deaths were reported. “Anthrax can be acquired when you have a direct contact with the infected animal but rarely through a person to person transmission,” Dr. Tayag explained.
“So the people who went to the wake and burial of the two dead persons are not likely to have acquired the disease,” he said. However, the expert cannot ascertain if the disease is part of El Nino but he said the Anthrax bacteria is endemic or naturally present in the country. “This is endemic in our animals and we are monitoring this.” In a separate interview, DoH secretary Esperanza I. Cabral said the Anthrax can be acquired in three ways: through the skin via an open wound, via ingestion of food contaminated by the bacteria and through the respiratory route. “Respiratory is when the bacteria create spores that go into the air and when one inhales it, he or she can be infected,” Cabral said. Symptoms of Anthrax infection vary on how it affected the person. If it went through the skin, Cabral said the person may experience body weakness and fever. If it goes to the whole body, there could be blood poisoning and death. If it was ingested through a contaminated food, there may be vomiting, diarrhea, body weakness and stomach pains. If it was inhaled, the symptoms are similar to pneumonia where there is coughing and difficulty in breathing. |  | | | |
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