The city of Manila yesterday warned residents and hospitals in the city to be prepared as the Zika virus may hit the country’s capital following reported cases from neighboring cities.
No less than Manila mayor Joseph Estrada expressed his concerns after learning about two people got afflicted by the virus in the cities of Mandaluyong and Makati.
“Palapit na nang palapit sa atin. So I am ordering Manila hospitals to be ready dahil we can’t say kung kailan tayo matatamaan,” said Estrada.
Estrada also called on the Manileños to be aware about the effects of the Zika virus even as he assured that the six public hospitals and 59 community health centers of the city are capable to handle mosquito-borne diseases including Dengue and Chikungunya.
Manila Health Department officer-in-charge Dr. Benjamin Yson believed its only a matter of time before a Zika virus victim is recorded in Manila.
Zika will come, it will hit us,” said Yson.
Yson however believes the effects of the virus could be minimized if only Manila residents will ensure cleanliness in their surroundings.
With a population of 1.7 million, Manila is one of the world’s most densely populated cities with 42,857 people per square kilometer, making the crowded communities more susceptible to the outbreak of deadly diseases.
Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial disclosed that a 27-year-old female in Mandaluyong and a 42-year-old male in Makati have been infected with Zika virus, bringing to 17 the total number of victims in the country. (BETHEENA KAE UNITE)