A possible case of meningococcemia is being investigated at Valenzuela City Emergency Hospital (VCEH) following the admission on Monday night of a child who exhibited symptoms of the rare disease.
In a statement, the Valenzuela City government said the 1-year-old girl, a resident of Meycauayan, Bulacan province, was taken to the hospital with a high fever, red patches on her skin and diarrhea. She was declared dead on arrival.
VCEH officials said the girl’s symptoms pointed to meningococcemia.
“The case has yet to be confirmed. But the local government assures the public that our hospital facilities are still safe,” said Zyan Caiña, city public information officer.
As a precautionary measure, the hospital management immediately fumigated and disinfected the emergency room.
Under observation
The patient’s family and all the hospital personnel on duty at that time were also given prophylactic antibiotics. They remain under observation.
VCEH will release the results of tests conducted on the girl’s blood samples in three to seven days.
The city government said it had already reported the case to the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit of the Department of Health, which was about to send a team to Bulacan to conduct an investigation.
“The local government is appealing to the public not to be afraid or anxious, but to be more cautious of their health status and to immediately seek medical help once they experience similar symptoms,” it added.
Confirmed case in Pateros
A confirmed case of meningococcemia was earlier reported in Pateros following the admission to Ace Hospital of a man who showed symptoms of the disease on Jan. 4.
Six days later, the Pateros health department reported that the patient, who had been transferred to San Lazaro Hospital in Manila, tested positive for meningococcemia.
The only known patient from Pateros so far, the man is recovering, hospital officials said.
Municipal health officials, on the other hand, assured residents that they had already taken measures to stop the spread of the disease in Pateros, including tracking down all people who had contact with the patient and giving them preventive medicine.
According to the World Health Organization, meningococcemia can lead to severe brain damage and, if left untreated, may be fatal in 50 percent of all cases.