MANILA, Philippines – One Filipino was confirmed to have died in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from the deadly Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Monday.
“The Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi has confirmed that one Filipino worker died on April 10 due to MERS-Corona Virus (CoV) while the other five remain in quarantine as a precaution,” DFA Spokesman Charles Jose said in a press briefing.
“The Embassy team was also able to confirm that the five Filipinos who were also infected are doing well and recovering. The next-of-kin of the Filipino fatality has already been notified and is being assisted,” Jose said.
MERS-CoV is a deadly virus related to SARS or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome that spread in China from 2002 to 2003.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said that symptoms of MERS-CoV include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and even diarrhea.
Cases of MERS-CoV have been reported in Middle Eastern countries, such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan and Oman.
“The DFA wishes to advise Filipinos in the Middle East to take necessary precautions and to follow the advice of the local health authorities in their host countries following the recent reports of Filipino nationals affected by MERS-CoV in the UAE,” Jose said.
“The DFA urges Filipinos in affected countries to remain calm and to heed the advice given by local health authorities, such as washing the hands thoroughly, using sanitizers, and observing other general hygiene practices. Those who experience any of the disease’s symptoms are urged to immediately seek medical attention,” he said.
According to the WHO website, there has been a total of 212 confirmed cases of MERS-CoV with 88 deaths from September 2012 to April 2014.
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