Baguio City execs set measures vs swine flu

By Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY – City officials and concerned health authorities have set contingency measures for prevention and control of the dreaded swine flu virus even as health and meat inspection offices in the city implemented initial precautionary measures following reports of infections in Mexico and other countries to safeguard the public against the disease.

The virus was reported to have killed more than a hundred and infected more than a thousand in Mexico and other countries and is continuing its spread opening the possibility of a pandemic.

Vice Mayor Daniel Farinas said the Baguio Health Department has immediately activated the emergency response teams to respond to any eventuality while the city veterinary office also intensified inspections of hogs at the slaughterhouse and at city market to ensure that no hot meat will be sold at the city market.

Last week, the Department of Health Cordillera also set quarantine checkpoints located at the various entry points to the city to ensure that all the meat being delivered to the city pass the safety standards.

As of now health authorities assured that the city remains safe from the virus.
Farinas said the contingency measures for prevention of entry of the virus and for control of the disease in case of an outbreak were set.

“We will handle this properly,” Farinas said appealing to the public to maintain their calm amid the health threat.

“Our veteran doctors and technical people know the situation and we are confident that we can come up with effective actions,” Farinas said.

Farinas said the city executive department headed by Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr. and the legislative branch through the council committee on health headed by Councilor Erdolfo Balajadia will work hand in hand to implement the contingency measures that will be drawn up.

He advised the public to do their share by keeping healthy through the observance of proper hygiene and good nutrition.

He also urged businessmen particularly those engaged in hog-raising and meat sale to make sure that they strictly follow sanitation rules and safety standards so as not to put the public’s health at risk.