High alert for 'scarlet fever'

By ANJO PEREZ

June 23, 2011, 6:48pm MANILA, Philippines The airport management assured the public Thursday that it is closely monitoring the entry of arriving passengers following reports of an outbreak of scarlet fever in Hong Kong. Last Tuesday, the Hong Kong government declared an outbreak of scarlet fever in the former Crown Colony following the death from the disease of a second child in one month. A seven-year-old girl died of the illness late last month, while a five-year-old boy infected with the same illness died last Tuesday, said authorities. Scarlet fever is a common disease in children caused by the streptococcal bacteria which produce a toxin that leads to the red rashes. The bacteria usually cause strep throat in patients and can easily spread among children in schools. The disease can be easily treated with antibiotics, however, the strain in Hong Kong has reportedly mutated, making it more resistant to medicines and likely to be more contagious. Even without an order from the Department of Health, the Manila International Airport Authority has ordered its medical team to be more vigilant in screening arriving passengers especially those from Hong Kong and Macau. Airport chief Jose Angel Honrado has ordered the airport medical staff to be on alert at the three international terminals in Manila and to make sure that all thermal scanners are functioning properly. The airport chief said that there are a total of 12 thermal scanners at the three airport terminals manned by a complete medical staff 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Honrado said any passenger detected with a high temperature will be taken to the medical clinic for diagnosis. If and when a person is found to be infected by a contagious disease, he or she will be taken to either the San Lazaro Hospital on Rizal Avenue, Sta, Cruz, Manila or the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine in Muntinlupa City to be quarantined while getting treatment. We can prevent the entry of this disease through continued vigilance with the help of our thermal scanners and close coordination and exchange of information with the Bureau of Quarantine and DoH, Honrado said. Reference: http://www.mb.com.ph/node/323959/high-alert-

Lady Anilin R.Corpuz 4bsn1 group 2

Prevention is better than Cure.

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In our times where technological innovations are progressing, even the microscopic life forms are changing. There comes a time when they are becoming resistant to certain drugs that they can make ones human life endanger, like on the case of scarlet fever in Hongkong, an innocent kid dies after a month because of this fever where we never know that is it life threatening. It is good that even without an order from the Department of Health; the Manila International Airport Authority had taken the initiative to monitor passengers arriving through our airports. As included in the four fold responsibility as nurses, we need to prevent occurrence of illnesses, such principle can also be applied in other professions such as said in this article. Like what my title said, Prevention is better than cure.