LEGAZPI CITY – The Albay provincial health office has noted a surge in the number of respiratory infections among evacuees staying in 26 evacuation centers around restive Mayon Volcano, while at least six medical teams from Manila have arrived to augment local health service providers.

Latest disease surveillance data from the evacuation camps reveal that there are 101 cases of respiratory diseases, including coughs and colds and difficulty of breathing, among the evacuees.

The other cases reported by the health surveillance team include fever, wounds, joint pains, toothache, hyperacidity, and tonsillitis, among others.

However, the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) declared that there are no serious health cases among the evacuees since medical teams have been dispatched to the evacuation centers even prior to the declaration of alert Level 4 by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) for Mount Mayon over the weekend.

Dr. Eric Tayag of the National Epidemiology Center has advised health workers and those exposed to ash releases to wear protective gear and clothing to avoid health implications.

“It depends upon the ash fall but it normally causes skin irritation since it is acidic. Your skin will become red. Wear long-sleeved clothes and pants to prevent ash fall from directly dropping on your skin,” he said.

“Relief workers or workers who are exposed to ash fall should wear protective clothing such as goggles or eyeglasses. If you are wearing contact lenses, you should remove them because ash fall have glassy particles that may cause corneal abrasion,” Tayag said in an interview.

The Provincial Health Office has also declared the code blue alert in all health facilities, meaning all health experts should render work even during holidays, with all leave schedules canceled to ensure that there are enough health personnel attend to residents and evacuees.

The Manila medical teams arrived Wednesday an were dispatched to four evacuation centers in Legazpi City and two in Sto. Domingo town, located six kilometers from the crater of Mayon Volcano.

The teams of experts were gathered from the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center, Rizal Medical Center, East Avenue Medical Center, National Children’s Hospital, and Batangas Regional Hospital.

They are made up of specialists in surgery, internal medicine and pediatrics and are joined by nurses.

Aside from the health teams, the Department of Health (DoH) has also sent P3 million worth of drugs and medicines.

“In addition to that, we are sending another P3 million as cash assistance to the evacuees and as assistance for the rental of portalets (portable toilets) that are being used in the evacuation centers,” Health Secretary Francisco Duque said in a phone interview.

Loud booming and rumbling sounds from Mayon continued on Wednesday, accompanied by ash explosions that went as high as one kilometer above the crater, a strong indication that Mayon’s restiveness is far from over.

Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum said they monitored for the past 24 hours significant increases in all the parameters used in observing volcanic activities, among them earthquakes and emission of sulfur dioxides.

“Our visual observation is being hampered by thick clouds but during cloud breaks, we spotted a total of 66 ash explosions. Red hot lava also continues to flow down along three gullies in the areas of Legazpi City, Daraga and Sto. Domingo,” Solidum said.

President Arroyo, who returned to the country last Wednesday from a Hong Kong vacation, flew straight to Albay to check on government preparations.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the President wanted to look into the situation of families temporarily residing in evacuation centers and ensure their needs are met.

Ermita said the President will meet with Albay Governor Joey Salceda and other top officials of the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council and Phivolcs.

Mrs. Arroyo flew back home after a hush-hush Christmas getaway with her family in the former British colony since Sunday. The Chief Executive drew flak for going on a holiday while the people of Albay are bracing for Mayon’s eruption.

The National Disaster Coordinating Council for its part said it is set to release around 10,000 sacks of rice worth P9.3 million while the Department of Social Welfare and Development would distribute three truckloads of relief goods amounting to P2.1 million.

Ermita said the government has set aside P500,000 as standby fund for the purchase of more relief goods. (With a report from Genalyn Kabiling)