Susan’s Notes
By Susan Palmes-Dennis
ROCKINGHAM, North Carolina—Just when we thought the Philippines is off towards the road to full recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, I learn about this bit of news from Cagayan de Oro City about this so-called ‘nipah virus’ scare that circulated and spread like wildfire in social media.
At its core, the ‘nipah virus scare’ all began when the high school of a certain university in the City of Golden Friendship reported the incidence of several cases of high fever involving their students. The resulting incidence compelled school management to order the resumption of online classes for their students at least until the early part of October.
Not to be outdone, another university followed suit but this time, the school’s top official—who should have known better—made the grievous mistake of linking the spate of fever cases in the high school to the so-called ‘nipah virus’ outbreak that occured in a remote village in India. The nipah virus reportedly shares similar symptoms as COVID-19 with the end result being brain damage and death. That there’s still no cure or vaccine to the virus makes it all the more alarming.
Hence the nipah virus outbreak in India which is described as ‘controlled’ is fertile ground for some malicious minded troll to plant the seeds of panic that would grow and cause alarm among the more paranoid minded social media users. I hazard a guess that’s how and why said official made the stupid assumption that these cases were caused by the nipah virus.
The memo issued by said official leaked to other schools causing them to also revert to online classes. Funny thing is, these are private schools whose students belong to above average families while public schools reported no such spike in fever cases since the onset of the school season. While vigilance is critical, there’s no evidence of an outbreak of nipah virus, perhaps only influenza-like illness (ILI).
************
Hence Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Rolando ‘Klarex’ Uy issued an executive order ‘encouraging the public’ to resume wearing face masks and comply with physical distancing in a return to COVID-19 pandemic health restrictions. Meanwhile the rest of the Philippines are more concerned with issues like rice price increases and the PH-China row over the West Philippine Sea.
Again, I could only scratch my head on how and why some school officials would immediately make the assumption that it was another virus and not (likely or not) COVID-19 that could be causing the spike in fever cases in one high school. The local health authorities already are stating that there’s no solid evidence linking the spate of fever cases to the nipah virus.
That said, there is no indication that this executive order on health protocols compliance would last beyond this year. Maybe after there is evidence that these fever cases would decline would the order be lifted. Until then there is also no indication that the order is mandatory in nature so we won’t be surprised if we see more people not wearing face masks or observing physical distancing.
Again I question the likelihood of the nipah virus reaching the shores of Cagayan de Oro City ahead of more likely hotspots like Manila, Cebu and Davao who have international airports and are thus the principal entry and exit points of foreign travelers. If there would be a nipah virus outbreak it would more likely happen there or in areas within their purview.
Also I question why, if there is such an outbreak of nipah virus, that local health authorities did not order or advise City Hall to set up a containment zone around the affected community to prevent the virus from spreading. Apparently, the executive order if enforced strictly in public places, may cause a backlash particularly among the businesses who are still recovering from the COVID-19 health restrictions.
*************
One thing I learned from my constitutional law professor, the late justice Jose ‘JoSabs’ Sabio, is that a country should have a border. I’m reminded of this due to the daily slew of TV news telling about the hordes of illegal immigrants in the US. Their continuing influx and the US federal government’s refusal to stop much less stem the tide is causing the US to become a failed state, another term I learned from Justice Sabio.
I likewise learned from Justice Sabio the four essential elements of the state which are its people, its territory, its government and its sovereignty. Did I miss anything? Maybe not. Because the continuing tide of illegal immigration is being reported in the news, I’m quite concerned with how this will all play out considering that these illegal immigrants have no fear of border patrols.
This tide of illegal immigrants can be seen in the sprouting of rat infested hovels or dwellings of foreigners in some states close to the border who can ill afford housing at least until the state government steps in and provides housing at the cost of taxpayers money. And when they do get housing, most of the time they fail to do their part in keeping the units afforded to them sanitary.
My observation based on these news reports is not shaped by any internal bias on race, ethnicity or religion. What I do observe that in states controlled by the left leaning Democrats, illegal immigrants get to run the place and coupled with the presence of hobos who pollute the streets of California and New York, the burden of keeping them is laid on the weary shoulders of American taxpayers, including Filipino-Americans who entered the country through legal means.
There is nothing wrong with immigration. What is wrong is when it is illegal. Only this issue has became so charged politically that decisive leadership on the issue is sorely lacking. And some left-leaning activists like that Ocasio-Ortez whatever converted the issue into political capital that they used to ride their way to the halls of the US Congress.
The US will implode, it will be destroyed soon by unbridled illegal immigration all for the sake of securing those votes for the leftist Democrats. And for that I hope another leader will assume the White House seat and will resolve this problem decisively before it reaches that boiling point.
####
