The Department of Health says it’s coordinating with the two other countries that actor Manuel Masalva visited to identify his bacterial illness, which the Mexican caught two days after arriving in Dubai from the Philippines
MANILA, Philippines – Narcos: Mexico star Manuel Masalva is now in stable condition after being put in a medically induced coma upon falling ill following a trip to the Philippines, fellow actor Mario Moran said in an Instagram story on Tuesday, April 8, Manila time.
Masalva traveled to Dubai on March 18 after spending several weeks in the Philippines, where the actor’s manager Jaime Jaramillo Espinosa claimed he contracted an aggressive bacterial infection.
Espinosa told the Los Angeles Times that Masalva began to feel “internal discomfort and pain” within two days of being in Dubai. He added that the actor underwent emergency surgery on March 26, once the doctors identified the type of bacteria that infected him. He said that on March 27, the infection spread to his lungs, and caused him to be put in a medically induced coma.
Moran shared a GoFundMe page on April 3 to gather donations for Masalva’s growing medical expenses.
“Due to an unknown bacteria, our beloved Manuel Masalva is in a hospital abroad in serious condition, so he needs financial assistance for all his expenses,” the GoFundMe page’s description reads.
It has since exceeded the goal of 1 million Mexican pesos, with 880 donations amounting to over 1.068 million Mexican pesos.
DOH: Don’t panic
Meanwhile, in an interview with Teleradyo Serbisyo on Tuesday, April 8, spokesman Albert Domingo shared the Department of Health’s (DOH) thoughts and current plan of action regarding Masalva’s case.
“We are not discounting the fact na nagkaroon ng sakit ang ating celebrity, at ayon sa kanyang mga publicist, ay sinabi from the Philippines. Pero sana po nasabi sana ano ‘yung particular bacteria, saan niya nakuha, para masolusyonan natin,” Domingo said.
(We are not discounting the fact that the celebrity contracted an illness, and according to his publicist, came from the Philippines. But it would have been good if they disclosed what particular bacteria he caught and where it came from so we can find a solution.)
Domingo said that as soon as news of Masalva’s health condition first broke out, DOH Secretary Ted Herbosa instructed the department to check the international health regulation (IHR) systems, a system that the spokesman says allows countries to identify if there’s an outbreak or anything to look out for.
“Ang mga bansa ay may mandato na magsabi sa isa’t isa kung ano ‘yung nakikita nila. So, si celebrity natin, siya ay naconfine sa Dubai. Ini-contact namin ang IHR ng Dubai. At the same time, since publicly known na resident siya ng Mexico, ini-contact rin ‘yung IHR ng Mexico. It is up to the countries, at of course, doon sa pasyente, kung sasabihin niya kung ano ‘yun,” Domingo told Teleradyo Serbisyo.
(Countries are mandated to tell each other what they see. So, the celebrity is confined in Dubai. We contacted Dubai’s IHR. At the same time, since it’s publicly known that he is a resident of Mexico, we also contacted Mexico’s IHR. It is up to the countries, and of course, up to the patient, if they will disclose what bacteria it is.)
“In simple words, ang sinasabi ko is ‘wag hong magpanic ang ating mga kababayan, dahil if you read the news reports, sila na rin ‘yung nagsabi na kayang gamutin ng antibiotics kung ano man ‘yung nakita nila,” he continued.
(In simple words, don’t panic, because if you read the news reports, they themselves said that whatever bacteria they found can be treated by antibiotics)
“We are asking officially doon sa Dubai ‘tsaka sa Mexico kung ano man ‘yung sakit na ‘yun para matugonan natin,” Domingo added.
(We are asking Dubai and Mexico officially what the sickness is so we can respond to it.)
Domingo said the DOH spoke to the health units in different tourist spots, and said that he wants to assure the public that they have not received any reports of cases similar to Masalva’s. He also cited possible ways the Mexican actor could have caught the bacteria, such as food poisoning and swimming with an open wound.
Masalva played Ramon Arellano Felix in Narcos: Mexico. – Rappler.com
Content shared from www.rappler.com.