DOH says risk of plague reaching Philippines remains very low

The Department of Health (DOH) on Tuesday, 13 October, assured the public that the risk of the plague reaching the Philippines remains very low.

“The DOH assesses the risk to the Philippines as very low,” the department said.

The DOH said no special precautions are necessary at this time.

“The same everyday habits that protect against common illnesses, such as frequent handwashing and covering coughs and sneezes, remain effective,” it added.

The department issued the assessment after Russian authorities reported that Darya Shipilova, a 28-year-old laboratory technician at the Irkutsk Research Anti-Plague Institute in Siberia, died of the plague on 2 October.

“The World Health Organization’s (WHO) initial assessment places the risk as low for Russia as a whole and very low for the WHO European Region,” the DOH said.

The department said it would continue monitoring the situation and provide verified updates as they become available.

“The Bureau of Quarantine is implementing health screening at our airports,” the DOH said.

“Should it be needed, the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) can test for plague, and designated hospitals can isolate and treat suspect cases,” it added.