Wear masks vs dust storms, Iloilo folk advised
By David Israel Sinay
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 06:01:00 07/14/2008
ILOILO CITY—The Department of Health in Western Visayas has advised the riding public and drivers to wear surgical masks to protect themselves from pulmonary illness caused by dusts that now envelope typhoon-ravaged areas in the region.
With the drying of the mud and murky water that inundated this city and many other areas on Panay Island at the height of Typhoon “Frank” (international code name: Fengshen) on June 21, “our problem now is the dust,” said DOH regional director Lydia Depra-Ramos.
Ramos warned commuters and residents of the “dust storm” which may aggravate pulmonary diseases such as asthma, cough, and other lung problems.
Ramos recommended to the local government units, particularly in this city and in Aklan, to provide their constituents with surgical masks “or even improvised masks … for protection from dirt.”
Dried mud becomes powdery and swiftly goes airborne that could be easily inhaled, Ramos said.
She said residents could immediately seek medical attention in available health facilities if they get sick.
“Health centers were adequately provided with medicines … for free,” she said.
The DOH has reported that typhoid fever and leptospirosis were the predominant illnesses monitored by the regional epidemiology center as clean water became scarce after the typhoon destroyed several water systems in the region.
Dr. Glenn Alonsabe, DOH regional epidemiologist, said the shortage of potable water is a continuing problem. The DOH anticipates an outbreak of water-borne diseases in the next two months, he said.
“We are conducting continuous disease surveillance,” he said.
Based on DOH statistics from June 29 to July 10, Alonsabe said there were already 85 suspected cases of leptospirosis in the region with seven deaths reported in Aklan and Iloilo.
Alonsabe said hospital admissions on the cases of typhoid fever reached 132.
He said he immediately told local officials to avoid making use of water sources in the area for drinking. “It’s either they put chlorine or boil the water first before drinking,” he said.
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