DOH, DFA planning to set up quarantine camps

Dr. Mark Christopher Pasayan of the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine shows the isolation room of the facility during a media tour to show the Government’s readiness in dealing with the still Ebola-free country on Oct. 21, 2014 at Alabang, Muntinlupa City. AP FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – The Departments of Health (DOH) and Foreign Affairs (DFA) are planning to place all travelers that will come from Ebola-stricken countries in West Africa, including overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), under a 21-day quarantine period to prevent the further spread of the virus that has claimed tens of thousands of lives already.

“We always prepare for the worst case scenario,” Dr. Lyndon Lee Suy, DOH Spokesman told reporters in an ambush interview after a meeting with DFA officials Monday.

He said they are looking at an undisclosed number of places that was comfortable and that can house at least 30 people as quarantine locations.

The government will shoulder all costs of the locations such as electricity and water.

Lee Suy refused to say where those locations are in order to protect the privacy of any traveller placed under quarantine and to prevent them from being stigmatized.

“[We don’t want] that we be relaxed then there will a be a case of a transmission … we [would rather] be strict for 21 days to ensure that if anybody becomes sick it can be immediately detected,” he said.

The Ebola virus disease has claimed more than 5,000 lives mostly from Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone while the number of reported cases has risen to more than 14,000, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The virus is spread through contact with bodily fluids of an infected patient. Symptoms usually do not appear until after 21 days.

DFA spokesman Charles Jose said in an earlier press briefing that they are finalizing the process that will be followed in case they finally decide to implement mandatory repatriation of Filipinos in West Africa.

“There are still some finishing touches, mechanisms waiting to be put in place,” Jose said.

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