Initial batch of Etihad passengers tested negative for MERS-CoV

Passengers walk past a thermal scanner at the medical quarantine area at the arrival section of Manila’s International Airport in Paranaque, south of Manila, Philippines on Wednesday, April 16, 2014. AP FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Health on Monday announced that the initial batch of passengers of Etihad Airlines flight EY 0424 tested negative for the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome – Corona Virus (MERS-CoV).

“Sa mga lumabas na resulta na nakuha natin, lahat naman ay negatibo pa,” Dr. Lyndon Lee Suy, DOH’s program manager for national disease prevention and control, told Inquirer Radio 990AM.

(Of the results that came out, everyone tested negative.)

Malacañang confirmed that 173 have been contacted out of 414 passengers of the said flight that arrived in the Philippines last April 15. So far, 100 of them tested negative for the virus, while 73 are still waiting for their test results.

The announcement came days after the agency re-examined a male Filipino nurse who tested positive for the virus in the United Arab Emirates.

The nurse, who did not show symptoms of the illness, was already on the said Etihad flight when his test results came out in UAE, where a Filipino paramedic died because of the MERS-CoV.

Suy said the nurse underwent the test twice in the Philippines to make sure that he was no longer a carrier of the virus. He said it was possible that the nurse was initially exposed to the virus but recovered on his way home.

Call to passengers

“Not until na-examine natin lahat ng nakasakay doon sa Etihad EY 424…then we can safely say na as of the moment wala tayong MERS Corona Virus. Kaya pinaiigting natin ang kampanya natin na hanapin po ang iba pang pasahero,” Suy said.

(Not until we examined all the passengers of Etihad EY 424 can we safely say that as of the moment the country has no incidence of MERS Corona Virus. That is why we are intensifying our campaign to find the other passengers.)

Over the weekend, both the DOH and Malacañang sent advisories, urging the passengers to contact authorities (through DOH’s 24-hour hotlines: 711-1001; 711-1002; 0922-884-1564; 0920-949-8419; at 0915-772-5621) and undergo testing.

While the DOH is already coordinating with Etihad, some of the numbers in the passengers list were out of service.

“To be honest, merong mga pasahero na may resistance. Pinaliwanagan namin na ito ay hindi lang para sa inyo kundi para sa pamilya ninyo,” Suy explained.

(To be honest, there are also passengers who are resistant. But we explain that it must be done not just for them but for their families.)

He said the test is free and the nose and throat swab can be done at a nearby government hospital or DOH personnel can visit the passenger’s residence.

The DOH has already published the list of passengers yet to be contacted and tested for MERS-CoV.

Although a Filipino paramedic had already died of the virus earlier this month in UAE, the spread of MERS-CoV is not yet considered an epidemic.

The MERS-CoV is a deadly virus related to the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). Its symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath and diarrhea.

According to the World Health Organization, from September 2012 to April 17, 2014, there were 243 confirmed cases of MERS-CoV infection all over the world, 93 of which have resulted in death.

Malaysia, on Wednesday, reported the first death attributed to MERS-CoV in Asia. The victim recently went on a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia, media reports said.

LIST OF PASSENGERS YET TO BE CONTACTED BY DOH AS OF APRIL 21, 2014

(Please call DOH’s 24-hour hotlines: 711-1001; 711-1002; 0922-884-1564; 0920-949-8419; at 0915-772-5621)

  1. ABBAS, ESMAIL
  2. ABELLANA, CHRISTOPHER
  3. ABUTOG, CHRISTIAN JOHN
  4. ABUTOG, MELOGINA
  5. ACOSTA, OSCAR ANGEL CABAUATAN
  6. ADALIN, DEDICACION
  7. ADAP, CLARENCE
  8. AGPAOA, VERLE
  9. AGUSTIN, JOJIT
  10. AKPAKPAN, KUFRE JAMES
  11. ALBERTO, EDWIN
  12. ALBINO, MARITON GAY
  13. ALFANTE, FEDINAND LUI
  14. ALQUITRAN, CAITLYN ANN
  15. ALQUITRAN, CHERRYLANNE NOLASCO
  16. ALQUITRAN, ARMINDA NOLASCO
  17. ALQUITRAN, CYRIL PEROCHO
  18. ALVAREZ, DENNIS
  19. AQUINO, ALJESS
  20. ASTILLERO, MICHAELA JANINA
  21. ATIENZA, RENATO
  22. AUSTERO, JIMMY
  23. BABLES, LINA
  24. BALLARAN, JERELYN CHAVEZ
  25. BALLOGAN, JOCELYN
  26. BALTAZAR, EDWARD
  27. BAMBAO, SHARON
  28. BANDOY, ERLINDA
  29. BARBERO, ROBERTO
  30. BARRETTO, ARNOLD
  31. BARTOLO, LIEZEL
  32. BEA, MAY JOY
  33. BEHZAD BEHBEHANI, BRUNO
  34. BELLO, OSCAR
  35. BELMONTE, WILFREDO
  36. BERNARDINO, MARLON
  37. BOSE, ELENA
  38. BRITOS, BERNARDO
  39. BUCAYU, TELESFORO JR
  40. BUSTOS, ARNEL
  41. CABANTO, RODRIGO
  42. CABRAL, CARMINA
  43. CABRAL, CARLO LOUIS
  44. CADUNGOG, JOMARI
  45. CALANOC, MAUREEN
  46. CANELA, EDUARDO
  47. CANLAS, JOSE DANDI
  48. CARAYUMAN, MIGUEL
  49. CASTIGADOR, VICTORINA
  50. CATALAN, ALLAIN
  51. CHIARPOTTO, ELENA MARIA
  52. CLAVERIA, RAINERIO ILUMINADO
  53. CO, MARK ANTHONY
  54. COLANO, NURAYNA
  55. COLICO, JOSEL
  56. COLIS, SHIRLEY
  57. COLIS, CECILIA
  58. CORDANO, SAMUEL
  59. CORONEL, JUSTIN LOUIS
  60. DAMANDAMAN MA, JONA
  61. DAMANDAMAN, JOHN TRISTAN
  62. DANGOY, PETRONILO JR G
  63. DANTULURI, APPALA SATYANARAYANA VARMA
  64. DAYAPAN, ROMMEL PERMALINO
  65. DAYRIT, DIANAH A
  66. DE GUZMAN, RANDIE
  67. DE LEON, SHIELA
  68. DEL RIO, VERONICA
  69. DELA CRUZ, JAN MILEYA E
  70. DELA CRUZ, MICHAEL
  71. DERONZIER, PAULINE ANNA
  72. DIONISIO, JINKY
  73. DIVINA, VICTORIA
  74. DIVINO, LUCIANO JR
  75. DIZON, AUGUSTO
  76. DOLOR, LEO
  77. DOMINGO, JOSEPH
  78. DOMOSOYLO, DIANE GRACE SAN JUAN
  79. DONOS, ARLENE ORIO
  80. ESGUERRA, JAYPEE
  81. ESMINO, PANCHO JR
  82. ESTEBAN, PETER HIPOLITO
  83. ESTRANERO, DIANA SANGCAP
  84. FABRE, VINCENT
  85. FIGUEROA, ELIZABETH
  86. FLORENTINO, LITO
  87. FLORES, MEJHOR ERNESTO JR
  88. FORTALEZA, ZARAH
  89. FORTUNATO, JENIFFER
  90. FUGABAN, MENCHIE
  91. FURTO, EMELITO
  92. GABOTERO, SUE
  93. GACUSANA, RUBEN
  94. GADAINGAN, JOMEL
  95. GALANTO, EUGENE
  96. GALAPIA, RUBY JANE
  97. GARCIA, PRISCILA
  98. GARCIA, ZSAREHN
  99. GARCIA, NICO JAY
  100. GATHURI, PENINA NABWIRE
  101. GIPAN, RUTH
  102. GUECO, MARIA TERESA D
  103. HALILI, MONICA
  104. HERNANDEZ, EDWARD
  105. HERNANDEZ, MARK DENNIS
  106. HONG, YUNHUI
  107. HUTCHINSON, NATHAN SAMUEL
  108. HUTCHINSON, ALMA
  109. IGNACIO, GLORIA
  110. ILETO, RENIEL
  111. IOANNOU, GEORGIOS
  112. IOANNOU, CHRISTAKIS
  113. JAVAR, VILMA
  114. JAVIEN, RESURRECCION
  115. KANG, HYONDOK
  116. KHALIL, ALFRED
  117. KING, RAFAEL
  118. KOURSARIS, COSTAS
  119. LAGNASON, CYRUS CASTRO
  120. LAW, JEFFREY
  121. LECTOR, JOSE ERIBERTO
  122. LICO, MARETES
  123. LINNOM, ROLYNE
  124. LLANES, ARCEO POSE
  125. LLANES, CHRISTIAN ALMERO
  126. LUNGAY, FLORDELIZA
  127. MABUTAS, MARCELINO JR
  128. MACARAIG, MICHELLE
  129. MACARAIG, CHELSEA MADELLE
  130. MACAVINTA, JO ANNA
  131. MADALE, ELIAS
  132. MAGPANTAY, LAWRENCE JAY PENTINIO
  133. MAGPANTAY, LUCENA PENTINIO
  134. MAGPANTAY, JERRY
  135. MAMARIL, DANILO GAPUZAN
  136. MANALASTAS, ROLANDO
  137. MANALO, NOMER
  138. MANGABO, MANRIA GRACE
  139. MANSIT, CAROL
  140. MARZAN, RODRIGO
  141. MATIAS, MYRA
  142. MATIAS, DANIEL CHRISTIAN
  143. MATIC, MELINDA
  144. MEDINA, EDGARDO
  145. MELANO, FERNANDO
  146. MENDOZA, CASIANO
  147. MERCURIO, ESTRELLA
  148. MESSIONA, MA LUZ BERBAL
  149. NAIG, FROILAN
  150. NAVARRO, AIZA
  151. NGO, KHE HUY WEI
  152. NORONA, NORBERTO
  153. NOTARTE, LEONARDO
  154. PABLO, ALEXANDER
  155. PAGALA, CRISELDA
  156. PAGTAKHAN, MARIA CELESTINA
  157. PAJARILLO, MICHELLE
  158. PALENCIA, CELIA
  159. PAMAN, CANDY
  160. PANGAN, ALFER
  161. PASCUAL, ANATOLY
  162. PAZ, KARL HEIDLE
  163. PAZ, KARL HEIDLE
  164. PELAGIO, MARIA THEREA
  165. PETRIDIS, ANDREAS
  166. PETRIDIS, ABEGAIL JIMENEZ
  167. PETRIDOU, NATALIA
  168. PILAPIL, GEMMA
  169. PONDAVELA, CONCEPCION
  170. RAMIREZ, CANDIDO JR
  171. RCHAVEZ, ANN MARIE
  172. REMINAJES, REMY
  173. REOLIGIO, MERLY
  174. REPE, CAROL
  175. RIVERA, AILEEN
  176. ROBANTE, MYLENE
  177. RONDINA, ANTONIO JR
  178. ROSARIO, ROBERTO JR
  179. ROSARIO, JONA
  180. SAGUN, GRACE ANN
  181. SALDO, TESSIE B
  182. SALSALIDA, MA ISOBELLE JOY MALAYANG
  183. SAMSON, MAYRAFLOR
  184. SAN RAMON, VALERIANO
  185. SANCHEZ, MARYLOU
  186. SANGALANG, RICHELL
  187. SANTOS, ALVIN
  188. SANTOS, ARMANDO
  189. SARMIENTO, REYNALD
  190. SCHELVIS, ADOLF WILHELMUS
  191. SINAY, JASMINE
  192. SINAY, WILFRED
  193. SINCULAN, KRISTIAN
  194. SITON, STEPHANIE GEORGETTE
  195. SOLAMO, BEN
  196. SOLIMAN, ROLDAN
  197. SOREBILLO, NICHOLINE
  198. SOROLLA, LIYSTELY A
  199. SULABO, MARYJANE
  200. TAN, FLORABEL
  201. TANGI, LEOMARK
  202. TARDIO, BRANDON
  203. TAYAG, MERLITA
  204. TORRES, JOAN MICHAELE NOAH
  205. TORRES, EDGARDO
  206. TORRES, JOAN DANIELE BERYL
  207. TUICO, EDWIN
  208. TUMIBAY, MARCO CYRUS
  209. VALENCIA, WILFREDO
  210. VALENTINO, MARICEL
  211. VALIENTE, MARILOU EQUILA
  212. VELASCO, JOAN
  213. VELASCO, EDSEL
  214. VELASCO, MARIKIT
  215. VERALLO, RICARDO
  216. VERANO, NORA
  217. VILLAR, EDWIN JR
  218. VINIEGAS, PATRICIA
  219. VINIEGRA, YOLANDA
  220. VIRREY, DIANNE BARBETTE
  221. VITUG, EDUARDO JR
  222. YAMCO, JUSTIN LOR
  223. YUSUP, JERVIN

Originally posted at 10:15 am | Monday, April 21, 2014

 

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