A regional health official confirmed Wednesday that a 53-year-old woman from Tanauan, Batangas, succumbed to meningococcemia in September.
Three more deaths in the province on the same month that could be linked to the infectious disease are being checked.
Department of Health-Calabarzon Regional Director Eduardo Janairo confirmed that the woman died due to meningococcemia based on the results from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM).
Janairo also bared that they are currently waiting for confirmation if the three deaths monitored in the province within three consecutive days late September are cases of meningoccocemia.
The three suspected meningoccocemia cases include the deaths of a one-year-old girl from Lian last September 27, a 46-year-old man from San Jose last September 28, and a two-year-old boy from Nasugbu last September 29.
Janairo said the case of the 53-year-old woman was only confirmed after her death. It was disclosed that the patient came home from Middle East this year. However, the regional director already ruled that the disease was acquired in the Philippines.
“May history na galing Saudi pero hindi natin masabi na dun galing ang sakit kasi incubation period is 1-10 days lang. So dito lang nakuha ‘yan , ” Janairo said.
The patient, according to Janairo, had bruises on her body and experienced headache, high-grade fever, and neck stiffness, which are common symptoms of the disease. That prompted them to get blood samples from the patient, which was sent to the RITM for confirmation.
Despite the four deaths in only a month, with one confirmed meningoccocemia case, Janairo said there is no outbreak of the disease and the reported deaths were isolated cases. (Betheena Kae Unite)