DOH exec allays fears that meningococcemia is spreading in PHL

January 29, 2013 9:30am



After the death of a four-year-old boy from meningococcemia in Marikina City Monday night, a Department of Health (DOH) official on Tuesday allayed fears the disease may spread quickly.

However, National Epidemiology Center head Dr. Enrique Tayag said the public should take precautions, including taking children to the hospital immediately after seeing symptoms of the disease.

"Mahirap makahawa ang meningococcemia... Kailangan ng intimate contact, halimbawa kung mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Pero kung kukunin ang temperature o hinawakan ang pasyente, hindi ka mahahawa," Tayag said in an interview over radio dzBB.

On Twitter, he also said it is not highly contagious but can spread via "direct contact of nose and mouth secretions from another sick person."

"It can also spread if a sick person "directly sneezes or coughs to another person's face," Tayag added.

The disease stems from a bacteria found in the nose, mouth and throat of healthy persons. "About five percent of health persons harbor the bacteria," he said.

On Monday night, a four-year-old boy died at the Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center in Marikina City, hours after he was brought there for treatment.

Tayag said the reason for the closure of some areas of the hospital since Monday night was more a precautionary measure.

"Paano ka hindi matatakot, naglalaro ang bata biglang lalagnatin, kinagabihan patay na. Sino ang hindi matatakot noon? Ang bilis niyan, isip nila bagsik ng mikrobyo matamaan sila. Hindi ganoon kadali tamaan, kailangan intimate contact," he said.

Tayag said the death rate of meningococcemia is not that high - only one in every 20 cases is fatal.

"Sa bawa't nare-report na namamatay sa meningococcemia, may 19 nabubuhay pa rin," he said.

However, in a post on his Twitter account, he said up to 10 percent of those who get ill die even with hospital care.

Bring to hospital



On the other hand, Tayag said it is necessary that parents bring their children to the hospital soonest once they see symptoms of the disease.

Tayag said other symptoms of the meningococcemia include fever and skin rash that appears soon after fever, "turning from red to purple and covering the whole body."

Other symptoms include fever, headaches, stiff neck accompanied by seizures and deteriorating level of consciousness.

"Halimbawa nilagnat ang bata, nilabasan ang pantal at kumalat sa katawan, hudyat yan may meningococcemia, dalhin sa hospital. May oras pa bigyan ng antibiotics, penicillin ang katapat niyan ," he said. - VVP, GMA News