by magnolia_eic | Jun 24, 2011 | Headlines, National News
THE Department of Health (DoH) on Wednesday sought to allay fears stemming from the declaration of an outbreak of scarlet fever in Hong Kong. “It is a childhood illness that is easily recognizable because of characteristic skin rash that easily leads to home or hospital confinement, thereby limiting its spread,” said Dr. Eric Tayag, head of the DOH-National Epidemiology Center.
But he said the disease remains to be a cause for concern because the scarlet fever was found to be a new one and appears to be resistant to antibiotics that were traditionally used to fight the illness.
As a precaution, Tayag advised “pediatricians to report any suspected cases so we can investigate if these are linked to the HK epidemic”.
Health officials in Hong Kong are now on the look out for scarlet fever, a bacterial infection that could spread through coughing and sneezing. It is characterized by a rash and sore throat. At least 459 cases were recorded this year in Hong Kong, with two fatalities. Hong Kong declared an outbreak Tuesday.
Tayag maintained that at present, there is no report of suspected cases of scarlet fever in the
country. (DOH/PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Jan 4, 2011 | Headlines, National News
Padayon gihapon ang pagsaka sa mga natala nga nasamdang biktima sa pabuto pila ka
adlaw human ang pagsaulog sa Bag-ong Tuig.
Nigawas sa datos sa Kampanya Kontra Paputok Surveillance Team sa Department of Health
(DOH) nga niabot na sa 890 ang gidaghanon sa mga natala nga firecrackers related injuries.
Matud pa sa mga opisyal sa DOH, mas taas pa kini og 17 porsiyento kon itandi sa milabay
nga lima ka tuig sugod niadtong tuig 2005 hangtud 2010.
Nasayran nga sa 844 nga kaso tungod sa mga pabuto, 36 tungod sa stray bullet, 11 tungod
sa fireworks ingestion ug usa usab ang natala nga namatay.
Sa 17 ka rehiyon sa nasud, ang National Capital Region (NCR) pa gihapon ang nitala sa
pinadaghan og biktima nga anaa sa 55%.
Samtang ang pabuto nga piccolo pa gihapon ang daghang nabiktima nga niabot sa 240, 125
tungod sa kwitis, 52 tungod sa 5-star, 47 tungod sa pla-pla ug 38 usab ang tungod sa lusis.
(PIA-Bohol/ecb)
by magnolia_eic | Dec 11, 2010 | Headlines, National News
ARE your teeners one of those trendy guys glinting with silver accessories? If they are, beware.
According to some sources, silver accessories made shiny by cleaning solutions flooding the market
now have alarmed authorities over reports of poisoning.
On this, the government has issued warnings against silvers being cleaned by silver cleaning
solutions that are unlabelled and thus come from unregistered sources.
The culprit, silver cyanide, an active component in the cleaning compound has been detected with
over the safe levels in these silver-cleaning products.
Cyanide is a chemical compound that can cause poisoning, especially when cyanide ions are dissolved
in water, according to the wikipedia.
At this, the Departments of Health (DOH) and Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) have
issued a ban on selling of unlabelled silver jewelry cleaning solution.
In a joint advisory dated September 24, both agencies issued a warning on buying unregistered and
unlabelled silver jewelry cleaning solutions or agents proliferating in the market today.
The advisory states, “laboratory analysis of samples of silver cleaners solution show elevated levels of
cyanide clearly posing imminent danger or even death to humans, particularly when accidentally or
deliberately ingested.”
Both agencies said these substances pose as threat to health and safety, thus they stress their strict
prohibition and sale in the market.
The advisory also carries a warning to all commercial establishments such as jewelry shops and other
retail outlets and ambulant vendors against selling or dispensing these silver cleaners.
By Presidential Decree 881, the law has empowered the secretary of the Department of Health to
regulate the sale, labeling and distribution of hazardous substances.
The same decree defines hazardous substance as those which toxic, corrosive, irritant, strong
sensitizer, flammable or combustible and that which causes substantial injury when ingested.
The public then is enjoined to report to the DOH any information leading to the apprehension
of persons engaged in distributing these products. Any individual in possession of such banned
substances may as well surrender them to the DOH for proper disposal, the advisory said.
(racPIABohol)
