2 Angono police station inmates taken to hospital for measles

Two inmates at the Angono, Rizal municipal police station were taken to Cainta Municipal Hospital  after showing symptoms of measles, Mariz Umali reported Tuesday on GMA News TV program State of the Nation with Jessica Soho.

The two male prisoners, both incarcerated over illegal drug cases, said they could have acquired the disease during their time in detention.

"Bigla akong nilagnat sobra lagnat nagkaroon po ako sa mukha ng mga pula-pula. Inubo, sipon. Sabi ko, mama, baka du'n ko nakuha," recounted inmates said.

"Nanghihina po tapos nagsusuka. Tapos 'yung lagnat ko po pabalik, balik. Wala naman ako nu'ng pumasok ako du'n eh," said the other.

The police station's custodial officer said that two other prisoners had been given medical attention after showing rashes, but they were later discharged after being found fever-free.

Meanwhile, Cainta Municipal Hospital medical officer Dr. James Javier confirmed the two prisoners had a fevers for two to three days, and that they had rashes.

"Since pa-start pa lang naman kasi 'yung labas rashes nila, usually, di pa sila  ganu'ng nakakahawa,"  Javier added.

The jail warden at the Angono Municipal Police Station said it was also possible that relatives or visitors infected the inmates.

"Maaari po siguro sa bisita (nahawa), kasi po ang regular visit po namin, halos week po meron po kaming isa lang po na day na hindi sila nabibigyan ng visit," warden Senior Police Officer 2 Angelo Santos said.

Meanwhile Cainta Municipal Health Officer Dr. Edgardo Gonzaga speculated that the illness was acquired from fellow inmates.

"The second possibility, meron nang nagka-measles doon sa loob ng Angono municipal jail. Tapos nahawa sila," Gonzaga said.

Gonzaga added that it would be prudent to immunize all inmates who had could have had contact with the ill prisoner.

"We can immunize all inmates who have been exposed to the two (infected) inmates. And then 'yung mga visiting relatives, sana medyo i-cordone or sana ma-minimize," Gonzaga explained.

Commanders at the municipal police station promised to heed all the health official's recommendations. — Margaret Claire Layug/DVM, GMA