Girl died of severe dengue after Dengvaxia injection — parents

Parents of Anjielica Pestilos and Christine Mae De Guzman, who reportedly died after contracting severe dengue, arrive at the DOJ accompanied by PAO Chief Persida Acosta. The girls reportedly received the vaccine Dengvaxia. PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER / MARIANNE BERMUDEZ

Seven months after receiving Dengvaxia, a 10-year old girl from Bataan died of severe dengue.

Nelson and Marivic De Guzman, in their joint affidavit said their child, Christine Mae De Guzman, received the dengue vaccine on April 16, 2016, through a school vaccination project at Sisiman Elementary School.

“Habang kinukunan kami ng impormasyon, sinabihan kami pasalamat kayo binigyan tayo ng gobyerno ng libreng anti-dengue vaccine. Sa private po kasi may bayad na mahal aabot ng P4,500 to P5,000,” Nelson said at a press conference.

[While we were being asked for information, we were told that we should be thankful to the government because the anti-dengue vaccine is free. If we will get it from private hospitals, it would cost around P4,500 to P5,000.]

He said there was no immediate effect to their child. However, after six months or on Oct. 11, 2016, their child complained of headache and had high fever. After two days, she was also suffering from severe stomach pain. She was then taken to the Mariveles Health Service Cooperative Hospital where she was diagnosed with dengue.

The father said his daughter’s condition worsened so she was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit of the Bataan Provincial Hospital where she had a blood transfusion. She also complained of difficulty breathing.

Christine died on Oct. 15, 2016.

The De Guzmans, with Ramil and Liza Pestilos, met with Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II. The Department of Justice (DOJ) through the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is already conducting an investigation on the Dengvaxia case.

Pestilos’ daughter, Anjielica, died last December 15, three months after receiving Dengvaxia through a school anti-vaccination program in September 2017.

However, her death certificate indicated that she died of systemic lupus erythematosus or an auto immune disease.

Examining the clinical abstract, Dr. Erwin Erfe, forensic expert and director of the Public Attorneys’ Office (PAO) Forensic Laboratory said there was an indication that Anjielica died of severe hemorrhagic dengue.

Anjielica was inoculated with Dengvaxia in September 2017 and started getting sick a month later.

Like Christine, Erfe said Anjielica had no previous exposure to dengue.

“When we reviewed her clinical abstract, there is a manifestation that Anjielica died of severe hemorrhagic dengue,” Erfe said at a press conference.

He said the child had edema, rashes, bleeding and low platelet and WBC count. /cbb