Over 200 kids infected with RSV – DoH

DoH Officer in Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire. PHOTO BY RYAN BALDEMOR

By Red Mendoza November 6, 2022 

THE Department of Health (DoH) has advised parents and children against the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) after it was found that more than 200 children have been infected in the country with the disease.

This comes after the United States reported an increase in RSV cases among school-age children in the country, which is heavily affecting their health care systems capacity amid the coronavirus pandemic.

In a briefing on Friday, DoH Officer in Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said the country has a surveillance system for RSV which is maintained by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine.

She said based on the monitoring of sentinel hospitals from January 1 to August 31, there were 221 cases of RSV cases in children, with no reported fatality from the virus.

According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, RSV is a "common respiratory virus" that causes mild, cold-like symptoms. It can be transmitted through airborne viral droplets from infected individuals.

Among the symptoms of RSV infection are fever, colds, runny nose, decrease in appetite and coughing, which could lead to breathing difficulties.

RSV does not only infect young children but can also infect older people and can cause severe disease in high-risk individuals such as senior citizens.

A vaccine for RSV is under development by Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline, and is now under phase three clinical trials.

Vergeire said that RSV is a "self-limiting" virus, which means that a patient will recover from the disease without any form of medicine.

She urged parents to keep their children healthy and also to follow preventive measures such as getting vaccinated for other respiratory diseases.

"Our elderly are also vulnerable to this disease, so we urge them to take care of themselves," Vergeire added.

Climate change, now a risk factor for heart disease – expert

 

By Red Mendoza, Sunday Times

October 2, 2022

CLIMATE change is now one of the cases of having cardiovascular disease, according to a leading heart expert.

This comes as the Philippine Department of Health (DoH) has joined forces with the World Health Organization and other partners to strengthen their collaboration against numerous cases of cardiovascular diseases.

In an event recently held in Taguig City, Professor Fausto Pinto, president of the World Heart Federation, said that air pollution is now emerging as one of the main causes of heart disease, which is one of the top causes of death across the globe.

"Air pollution is responsible for around seven million deaths per year, and one of the systems that air pollution that has a significant impact is the cardiovascular system, so that is one area that we are ensuring that we can tackle this global problem," Pinto said.

Pinto emphasized that there is now evidence to support the claim that air pollution and climate change can, from a physiological standpoint, affect the cells in the respiratory system that is also linked with the cardiovascular system.

He said that they are now working on developing strategies on how to reduce the impact of air pollution and climate change, noting that this link between the phenomenon and cardiovascular diseases is "worrying."

Dr. Bente Mikkelsen, director of noncommunicable diseases of the World Health Organization, said that every country in the world has the "tools and protocol-based treatment that is available for the population."

"If you provide prevention and treatment, we will be able to save millions of lives and secure prosperity for countries," Mikkelsen said.

Mikkelsen said that worldwide, less than 50 percent of all heart disease detections are not diagnosed, and 40 percent of them manage their heart disease due to the high cost of out-of-pocket spending for medicines.