DepEd, DOH advise on viral infection prevention

The Department of Education (DepEd) has advised parents and learners to follow the Department of Health's (DOH) recommendations to prevent viral infections amid the threat of the novel coronavirus (nCoV).

DepEd reminded millions of students and stakeholders through its Facebook page to practice good sanitation.

The DOH is investigating a five-year-old boy from Wuhan, China, who was admitted in Cebu City with symptoms of fever, cough, and throat irritation.

While initial tests for MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV were negative, samples from the boy tested positive for a non-specific coronavirus and were sent to Australia for further identification.

Both the DOH and DepEd emphasized the importance of hygiene practices like frequent hand washing, staying hydrated, and avoiding contact with sick individuals or animals.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian also called on DepEd to place schools on alert status and intensify information campaigns and sanitation practices to protect students.

Gatchalian highlighted the need for vigilance, even with the absence of confirmed nCoV cases in the country at the time, citing the potential for rapid spread.

The nCoV has affected hundreds in China and has been confirmed in several other countries including the US, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, and Vietnam.