By Analou De Vera The Department of Health (DOH) on Sunday urged the public to refrain from panic buying of dust masks amid reports that some pharmaceutical stores started to run out of stock. Secretary Francisco Duque III of the Department of Health (DOH) explains why the ban on controversial Dengvaxia vaccine has not yet been lifted during a press conference in Iloilo City. (Tara Yap/Manila Bulletin) “Huwag magpapanic dahil lalo lang magkakaproblema kung magkakagulo o magkakaroon ng kalituhan,” Health Secretary Francisco Duque III told Manila Bulletin in a phone interview. (Don’t panic as this could lead to more problems and complications.) “We are trying to get an inventory of our masks from the hospitals just in case lumaki pa yung pangangailangan, lumaki pa yung bilang ng mga taong maapektuhan,” he said. The health chief advised those who already have health conditions to stay indoors as inhalation of volcanic ash “may be deleterious to health.” “Ang ating pakiusap doon sa may mga sakit ay dapat manatili sa loob ng bahay,” said Duque. (I urge those who are sick to stay indoors.) “ ashfall pwedeng mag trigger ng complications or mag worsen ang conditions like those with emphysema, bronchitis, asthma,” he said. (Ash fall can trigger complications or worsen the state of a person with emphysema, bronchitis, asthma.) “Dapat maging mapagmatyag ang mga kapamilya sa kanila-- lalo na sa mga matatanda at bata--sila ang mga posibleng magkaroon, mahirapan dahil sa komplikasyon dulot ng ash fall na ito,” the health chief furthered. (Look after the elderly and the children as they are the ones who will be badly hit by the complications brought about by ash fall.) Read more: Taal alert level 4 up after phreatic eruption, DOH warns of adverse health effects due to Taal eruption, Ash falls blankets Batangas, Metro Manila and the rest of Calabarzon