Health workers checking ‘meningo’ case in Danao

CEBU CITY—Health officials are doing a case follow-up in Danao City, 49.9 kilometers from here, after a man with meningococcemia died there last week.

Rennan Cimafranca, head of the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (Resu) in Central Visayas, told the Inquirer that this was the first laboratory-confirmed meningococcemia case in Cebu province.

He said the death was reported to his office only last Friday (Aug. 22).

Cimafranca said the man was first confined at Danao Provincial Hospital but was later brought to Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) where he died on Aug. 16.

The man was immediately buried on Aug. 17.

Cimafranca, however, added that the city health official of Danao had already provided medicines to the man’s immediate relatives and those who came in close contact with him before he died.

Cimafranca said health officials were monitoring their condition.

Meningococcemia is a life-threatening bacterial infection of the blood stream. The bacteria usually live in the upper respiratory tract without causing visible signs of illness.

It is spread through coughing or sneezing. Other symptoms of meningococcemia are purple rashes on the skin, bleeding and high fever.