As nCoV threat grows, health screening in Zambo takes on urgent character

ZAMBOANGA CITY—-Tight health screening normal for Filipino deportees and Malaysians coming from Sabah took on a more urgent character in the city which had declared it didn’t have the dreaded novel coronavirus (nCoV) and wanted to keep it that way.

Tight screening came on full display at the city port when more than 100 Filipinos, mostly deportees from Sabah, and at least 20 Malaysians arrived.

The passengers were aboard MV Antonia 1 of Aleson Shipping which docked at the city port and were not allowed to disembark immediately.

The vessel was boarded by staffers of the Department of Health, Bureau of Immigration, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Bureau of Quarantine, the city health office, port officials and port security officers, all wearing facial masks.

As they waited in the ship, the 109 Filipinos and 20 Malaysians on board were checked for vital signs and symptoms of the dreaded virus.

As the passengers disembarked the ship, they were herded to buses that took them to the port’s passenger terminal building.

After the screening, all 129 passengers were allowed to pass through.

Dr. Joshua Brillantes, assistant health regional director, said the medical screening, however, was not mainly for nCoV but to check the health of the deportees.

But as nCoV continued to threaten countries around the world, Brillantes said the medical checkup covered symptoms of the virus, too.

Elmer Apolinario, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer, said city officials were enforcing strict monitoring of passengers entering the city, especially those from areas with confirmed cases of nCoV. Malaysia is one of several countries with multiple nCoV cases.

Apolinario said the screening is led by the Bureau of Quarantine, DOH and city health office.

“All entry points like sea ports, airports and integrated bus terminals are tightly watched,” he said.

Zamboanga City is a major transit point for people going to and coming from the Sulu archipelago, the Zamboanga peninsula and Sabah in Malaysia.

Apolinario said authorities need to be resourceful and creative to prevent the entry of the virus into the city.

“We need to prevent panic, too,” he said.

Edited by TSB