Filipino peacekeepers in Liberia free from Ebola – PNP

Bea Cupin

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

Filipino peacekeepers in Liberia free from Ebola – PNP
The 30 Filipino policemen who are part of the United Nations Mission will be returning from Liberia in August. The PNP and health authorities are already monitoring them

MANILA, Philippines – Members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Liberia as part of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) are “relatively safe and uninfected,” the police force said in a statement on Tuesday, August 12.

According to the PNP, there are 30 United Nations Police from the Philippines stationed in Liberia, which is currently under a state of emergency due to the spread of the deadly Ebola virus.

The peacekeepers are scheduled to return to the Philippines this month, said the PNP. None of the peace keepers have been reported to have Ebola.

UNMIL contingent commander Superintendent Gerardo Avengoza will be giving daily updates on the health status of the PNP team in Liberia, said PNP Director for Plans Chief Superintendent Alexander Ignacio.

Avengoza will report directly to the Philippine Embassy in Abuja, Nigeria, the United Nations Peace Operations, the Philippines’ interior department, and the PNP.

On Monday, August 11, the Liberian army put a third province under quarantine to quell the spread of Ebola.

The Ebola virus can be transmitted through bodily fluids, causing severe fever, muscle pain, weakness, vomiting, and diarrhea. In some cases, it also causes organ failure and unstoppable bleeding. It can kill victims in just days. (READ: Ebola: a ruthless killer)

With a fatality rate of 55%, the Philippine health department said the Ebola virus is deadlier than the MERS Coronavirus and the bird flu.

The PNP said the Philippine contingent are following prevention guidelines from the Philippine Embassy in Abuja and the UNMIL. The police force said it is already coordinating with the health department to prepare for the return of the 30 peacekeepers. 

A person exposed to the Ebola virus can develop symptoms within 2-21 days. Travelers arriving from Ebola-hit countries are tested at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine and quarantined by health authorities for one month. (READ: Fast Facts: Ebola– Rappler.com

 

Add a comment

Sort by

There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation.

Summarize this article with AI

How does this make you feel?

Loading
Download the Rappler App!
Avatar photo

author

Bea Cupin

Bea is a senior multimedia reporter who covers national politics. She's been a journalist since 2011 and has written about Congress, the national police, and the Liberal Party for Rappler.