Philippine Embassy issues advisory to check MERS

The Philippine Embassy has issued an advisory to the Filipino community in the Kingdom on the prevention of the spread of MERS virus which is in line with the prevention techniques advised by the Saudi Ministry of Health (MoH).
Meanwhile, a source said that one of three Filipino nurses confined to the King Fahd Medical City in Riyadh has recovered from the viral infection. The other two patients, a male and a female, are still at the hospital.
Last Tuesday, a 45-year-old Filipino female nurse from Negros Occidental in southern Philippines died of MERS infection at the hospital.
The advisory came on the heels of a meeting conducted by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in Turkey with the heads of the Philippine missions in the Middle East and Africa to discuss strategies to prevent the spread of the virus.
“The advisory is timely considering the large number of nurses working in various hospitals and clinics across the Kingdom, not to mention other health workers. The Philippine Nurses Association- Eastern Region Saudi Arabia (PNA-ERSA) which I founded has more than 500 members,” said Mary P. Tupas, director of nursing at Mohammed Al-Dossary General Hospital in Alkhobar.
Tupas, a “Natatanging Bagong Bayani Awardee” (Outstanding New Hero Awardee), said that in conjunction with the advisory, Ambassador Ezzedin H. Tago met with Filipino nurses and other health workers in Alkhobar last week to discuss preventive measures regarding the virus.
The advisory urged Filipinos to:
1. Strictly follow the prevention techniques advised by both the Saudi Ministry of Health and the Department of Health in the Philippines such as
*Covering the mouth and nose with disposable tissues or with the upper part of the forearm when coughing or sneezing;
*Washing hands properly, especially after coughing, sneezing and using the toilet;
*Avoiding touching the eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands; and,
*Maintaining good hygiene and good fitness; have adequate amounts of sleep, fluids and nutritious food to boost body resistance.
2. Filipino health care workers are advised to strictly follow infection control protocols in their respective work places. Those who have been exposed to the MERS virus may wish to undergo voluntary screening though their respective employers especially if they intend to travel abroad.
3. All international airports in the Philippines are currently enforcing strict screening procedures for MERS virus and other infectious diseases. Filipinos who intend to travel abroad are encouraged to undergo voluntary MERS screening before departing Saudi Arabia.