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MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – The Department of Health (DOH) on Friday, November 14, said one of the Filipino United Nations (UN) peacekeepers who just arrived from Liberia has a fever – one of the symptoms of Ebola – but stressed that the country remains free of the dread virus.
The peacekeeper was brought to a still unnamed hospital as part of the department’s routine protocol.
“Dahil nanggaling siya sa Liberia (because he came from Liberia) we are testing him for Ebola,” DOH Acting Secretary Janette Garin said in a statement Friday.
She stressed, however, that the Philippines remains Ebola-free.
Garin said that the peacekeeper, whose name has been withheld, developed fever, chills, and body malaise.
He was initially placed in an isolation room in Caballo Island, where the peacekeepers are on a 3-week precautionary quarantine since they arrived from Liberia on November 12.
Garin said the peacekeeper had malaria in the past, so he will be checked for possible malaria relapse while he is in the hospital.
“Ang pasyenteng ito ay dati nang nagkaroon ng malaria. May posibilidad na bumalik ‘yung kanyang malaria o kaya naman ay hindi ito nagamot nang maayos (This patient had malaria in the past. It is possible that he had a relapse, or he was not completely cured),” she explained.
Since the peacekeeper only has fever, Garin said there is no need yet for personal protective equipment (PPE).
The test results for malaria and Ebola will be out after 24 and 48 hours, respectively. If he tests negative for both diseases, Garin said the peacekeeper will stay in the hospital until the end of the 21-day quarantine.
“We appeal to everyone to respect the privacy of the patient and his family,” she added.
The 133 UN peacekeepers arrived in the country late Wednesday afternoon, November 12, at the Philippine Air Force (PAF) headquarters in Villamor Air Base.
All the 108 soldiers, 24 cops, and a jail officer who served the UN Mission in Liberia are currently under a 3-week precautionary quarantine on Caballo Island, a Philippine Navy outpost located at the mouth of Manila Bay.
They initially tested negative for Ebola, based on a screening conducted by the UN health team. (READ: Quarantine for Liberia troops: We’re playing safe – DOH)
The Ebola virus, which can be transmitted through bodily fluids, causes severe fever, muscle pain, weakness, vomiting, and diarrhea. In some cases, it also causes organ failure, unstoppable bleeding, and can kill victims in just days. (READ: 5 misconceptions about Ebola)
The World Health Organization announced on Wednesday that the 2014 Ebola outbreak has already killed 5,160 people from around 14,000 cases, mostly in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. – Rappler.com
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