Zamboanga City (CNN Philippines) — An official from the Department of Health (DOH) has admitted there is a lack of monitoring scheme to detect possible cases of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and other infectious diseases from passengers entering Zamboanga City through the local seaport.
“’Yan ang kinakatakutan namin,” said Maxel Bernas, DOH-9 Chief of Epidemiology and Surveillance, relative to the possible entry of infectious diseases to the city from passengers arriving from Malaysia through the Zamboanga seaport.
[Translation: “That’s what we’re worried about.”]
A joint assessment of passengers is being conducted upon arrival by a team composed of personnel from the DOH, the Bureau of Quarantine and the Philippine Ports Authority.
Bermas, however, said that there are no equipment such as scanners that would allow health personnel to detect possible MERS cases.
The team merely relies on visible symptoms exhibited by passengers upon arrival. There have been cases when passengers, mostly children, arrive from Sandakan exhibiting rashes attributed to chicken pox.
Related: Philippines ready for MERS, says Palace
Bermas said that they also rely on the report of the health officer aboard the vessel to inform them of passengers exhibiting symptoms of infectious diseases.
“Kung wala, we just escort the deportees from the vessel to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD),” Bermas said.
[Translation: “If there is no report, we just escort the deportees from the vessel to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).”]
Bermas added that health officials are relying on the guidelines provided by their department on the system for monitoring MERS and other diseases.
Under the supposed guidelines, passengers are monitored upon arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport for possible infection with the use of scanners.
Passengers who have been cleared at this stage are allowed to enter the country and travel to other domestic destinations.
Should a passenger fail to show symptoms upon entry and was later found to be infected, contact tracing of other passengers is conducted.
Related: Key facts you should know about MERS
Bermas, however, said that the guidelines do not include a system on monitoring of passengers who arrive via the seaports.
Health officials admit not having equipment such as scanners to monitor latent symptoms of infected passengers.
