Date : May 2, 2003

To : MDH Personnel

From : Assistant Hospital Director

Re : Policies and procedures on declaration of SARS patients being confined in MDH

Premises:

1. As much as possible there will be no admission of patients with probable SARS, SARS subject or confirmed SARS Case confined in MDH.

2. Policies and procedures are needed on the declaration of SARS patients being

confined in MDH, in case there will be, to prevent panic and to protect the health of staff, patients and public.

Case Definition:

1. Patients under surveillance for SARS- patients with history of travel to high risk

places and/or exposure to persons with possible SARS but without symptoms.

2. SARS suspect patients-patients with history of travel to high risk places and/or

exposure to persons with possible SARS but with symptoms of high fever, respiratory syndrome, dry cough.

3. Probable SARS patients – patients described under SARS suspect patients with laboratory findings and radiographic evidence of infilitrates consistent with pneumonia or respiratory distress syndrome on chest X-ray that increase the suspicion of SARS.

4. Confirmed SARS patients – patients with a positive confirmatory tests of SARS.

Policies and Procedures:

1. Declaration of presence of SARS patients being confined in MDH will be made by MDH Consultants of SARS (Dr. Melecia Velmonte or Dr. Cecilia Montalban).

2. Declaration by MDH Consultant on SARS will be made known to all staff and the

public at the soonest time possible at a billboard placed at the entrance of the hospital.

3. In the absence of any declaration of presence of SARS patient being confined in

MDH , to prevent any panic reaction, NO MDH, staff and employees, except the MDH Consultants on SARS, shall mention the presence of SARS patients in MDH in whatever manner, inside or outside MDH. Doing so constitutes rumor-mongering and an act inimical to the stability of the hospital and therefore, is a ground for stringent disciplinary action by MDH Disciplinary Action Committee.

For strict implementation.

RITA M. WANNINGER