2 Palarong Pambansa athletes yield positive to dengue

📷dengue mosquito

TWO student athletes could no longer be able to represent their respective regions in the ongoing Palarong Pambansa in Cebu after yielding positive to dengue virus, according to the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC).

CCMC’s Dr. Peter Mancao said that the athletes were already admitted to the CCMC upon their arrival in Cebu City on July 5. He however clarified that both are now in stable condition.

When asked who among the athletes were infected, Mancao declined to provide exact details but hinted that one of the patients was from Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

The details of the other patient, he claimed, is still in the process of validation.

Pressed to give details as to how and where they got the virus, Mancao said that both already were sick when they set foot in Cebu City – “Pero one thing common is bag-o lang sila nangabot. Kaning usa nagfever na daan before kuno nilakaw unya naabot dire,” he noted.

As this developed, Mancao hinted at meeting the local health officials and the event’s committee in an effort to subject other athletes for a test that would determine whether or not they’re infected with the same ailment that sidelined the two dengue-positive students.

Meanwhile, health officials said that they would only allow “fully recovered” patients to participate in the Palaro.

Acting Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia for his part called for a press conference to announce the availability of a “separate area” in the hospital for Palaro athletes.

“We are very prepared. Madengue man, mapiang man, mabali man, unsa pa na diha, we are very much prepared so far as CCMC,” Garcia said.

“Pero ang mga private hospitals, I [was] told by them, wala pa man sad ko kabisita, they are also very much prepared. So, we are very much prepared for any eventuality when it comes to Palaro and God willing di gyud na mahitabo,” he added.

Previously, Department of Health regional epidemiologist Dr. Eugenia Mercedes Cañal reported that dengue cases in Central Visayas had reached 7,132 with 19 deaths for the first six months of the year.

The Cebu City Health Office has conducted misting operations at the living quarters occupied by student athletes who yielded positive to dengue virus. (ANGEL F. JOSE)