Manila: Authorities in Pangasinan have denied reports of a flesh-eating “mystery” disease, after panic gripped the Central Luzon province over fears of an epidemic.
In a statement, Secretary Enrique Ona said there is no truth to reports concerning such an ailment, which was rumoured to be highly contagious and would supposedly manifest itself through changes in a person’s complexion.
“There is no reported case of a ‘flesh-eating’ skin disease in the country yet. Absolutely no reason for the public to panic,” Ona said.
The health secretary nevertheless confirmed that there were two cases of serious skin disease in the province.
“Health officials reported that Case 1 was of a female, 21 years old, from Santa Barbara, Pangasinan who is on multi-drug therapy for leprosy at a rural health unit. Dr. Myrna Cabotaje, Regional 1 Director, added that the said patient, who was initially-treated in another private health facility, has now completed the treatment but may still need debridement [removal of dead tissue] for her skin lesions,” Ona said.
He added that the patient was now being assessed on current drug reaction and for tuberculosis.
Apart from the case in Santa Barbara, Ona said Dr Cabotaje had also checked on a patient from Villasis, Pangasinan.
“Clinical examination confirmed that the patient, Case 2, has a case of severe psoriasis, a chronic skin disease characterised by red patches covered with white scales,” he said.
The health secretary said there were a number of diseases that cause changes in a person’s skin and advised anyone suspecting a problem to seek medical advice at the nearest village health unit.
Earlier, rumours flew thick and fast that a “flesh eating” bacteria had made its way in the country and was already infecting several people in Pangasinan.
The rumours apparently stemmed from a prognosis made by a self-styled Indian prophet, Sadhu Sundar Selvaraj of the Jesus Ministries church, that a certain kind of disease would originate in Pangasinan.
Selvaraj, who visited the Philippines in April, was said to have predicted two natural disasters that struck the country last year, the earthquake in Bohol in October 15 and the onslaught of typhoon Haiyan last November 8.
During his talks in the Philippines, Selvaraj had warned about a “deadly disease that would spread across the world, consume human flesh and would pierce through the bones.”
For his part, Archbishop Socrates Villegas of Lingayen-Dagupan said the prediction is causing “unnecessary panic” to the people of Pangasinan.
“I think we should not give it too much attention. I think it is causing unnecessary panic to the people and it is not what we need at this time,” Villegas was quoted by a state-run news agency as saying.
Meanwhile, Pangasinan provincial tourism officer Malou Eldwayen, said the rumours had scared away tourists to the province.
She said a number of scheduled tours at the Hundred Islands National Park, one of the province’s major tourist attractions, have already cancelled their bookings as a result of the disease scare.
