Palace: Philippines Ready for MERS-CoV
By Mikas Matsuzawa, CNN Philippines
Updated 13:21 PM PHT Mon, July 6, 2015
Presidential Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. assured the public that the country is capable of isolating and treating cases of MERS-CoV.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Amid another case of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in the Philippines, Malacañan assured on Monday (July 6) that the country is fully capable of detecting, isolating, and treating the viral respiratory disease.
President Benigno Aquino III has tasked the Department of Health (DOH) to tighten surveillance and quarantine measures at ports of entry, Communications Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma Jr. said Monday.
Hospitals were also tasked to report patients who show symptoms of the disease for immediate isolation, treatment, and contact tracing, he added.
Citing Health Secretary Janette Garin, Coloma said the patient, who tested positive of the virus, is now undergoing treatment at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine.
Test results also indicated improvement in the patient’s condition, he said.