Meningo kills three children

By LITO RULONA
and NITZ ARANCON
Correspondents

A SIX-YEAR OLD girl from Bayabas was rushed by her parents to the Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC) on Wednesday because she had high fever and rashes all over. A day later, she  was dead as a result of what doctors believed to be a case of Meningococcemia.

The Bayabas case was not isolated. There were actually three cases of Meningococcemiaelated deaths in northern Mindanao, specifically in Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental, said Dr. David Mendoza, epidemiologist of the Department of Health (DOH) in Region 10.

Mendoza said those who died were all children–the six-year old girl from Bayabas, a one-year old from Baikingon, and an eight-year old from Barangay Mohon in Tagoloan town, Misamis Oriental.

The deaths have prompted the Provincial Health Office, the City Health Office and the Department of Health to start investigations in an effort to determine how the children became infected.

The DOH, according to Mendoza, is giving the capitol and city hall all the needed technical support.

The acute and potentially life-threatening infection of the bloodstream is caused by a bacteria in a person’s upper respiratory tract, and it can be spread through respiratory droplets.

In Barangay Bayabas, the girl’s death alarmed village officials led by barangay chairman Eddie Abrogar.

Abrogar said he was closely coordinating with government doctors.

The girl was rushed last week by the parents to NMMC because of high fever and rashes. At the hospital, her condition worsened–there were more rashes and she started to bleed through the nose, mouth, and ears, and her skin showed patches of bleeding.  She died in the NMMC ward.

Her parents said a physician advised them to immediately bury or cremate the body of the girl.

Dr. Fe Bongcas, city health officer, said, “This is highly infectious disease, and can be spread in open air.”

Abrogar asked the City Health Office to immediately trace the contacts of the girl, including her classmates, and isolate members of her family.

“Gani akong gi-ingnan nga principal sa eskwelahan nga mo-declare sa og no class kay i-disinfect pa ang entire campus og ang ilang balay. Gipabantayan nato ang ilang balay nga dili sila makagawas,” Abrogar said.

He said even barangay workers who helped in burying the victim were given antibiotics and placed under medical surveillance.

But Dr. Ramon Moreno of the NMMC, called for calm, saying there was no need to worry.

“Ang data sa Meningo dinhi sa NMMC, dili moabot sa napolo ka kaso kada tuig, na-a na sa duha, tulo ngadto sa lima ra ka kaso kada tuig,” Moreno said.