Forty members of the Airline Operators Council (AOC) operating at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) terminals on Wednesday assured the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) of their full support to help prevent the entry into the country of mosquitoes carrying Zika virus through their aircraft.
Joanne Doromal, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines station manager and AOC treasurer, said their aircraft and those of the other AOC members are spraying insecticides approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) before taking off from their respective terminals or minutes before landing at the Naia terminals, as she assured the insecticides they use are safe to humans.
The AOC’s assurance came after a reported increase of patients afflicted with the virus in Iloilo, which reported seven cases, one in Cebu City and one in Laguna province. The ages of the patients range from 9 years old to 49.
“On our part, we assure our clients, passengers that we are doing everything to keep our airplanes safe from mosquitoes or any flying or crawling insect,” Doromal said, adding that part of their service was to surrender the empty canisters to officials of BOQ upon landing at the airport as “proof” that they did their obligation.
Meanwhile, the Manila International Airport Authority (Miaa) hired a pest control service provider to spray once a week all enclosed areas, from the ground floor up to the fourth level, where the airline offices are located. They use water-based chemicals for “misting” to protect passengers and airport users from mosquito bites.
BOQ doctor on duty Noel Ramirez said that women who are pregnant should not travel to Singapore. “If you like to travel you must consult your doctor first and strictly follow steps to prevent mosquito bites during your flight,” he said.
“If you have a partner who lives in or has traveled to Singapore, either use condom or other barriers to prevent infection or do not have sex,” he added.
According to WHO Country Representative Dr. Gundo Weiler, there are now 19 out of 37 countries in the Western Pacific region found with Zika virus. Weiler said it was only a matter of time before cases were found in the Philippines.
“The fact that we see Zika in the Philippines and we detect more is not surprising. We know there is a competent vector in the country; we know there’s a lot of travel. We were assuming there is a likelihood Zika will appear in the country and spread to a certain extent,” Weiler said.
Weiler commended the proactive testing of the department of health (DOH) against Zika. He said the increase in the number of cases reflects the efforts of the DOH to crack down on the virus.
He said this is a welcome development at a time when countries are on alert against the spread of the virus-carrying mosquitoes.