By Prince Golez
The Department of Health has warned against eating raw meat and exotic food as the spread of a new coronavirus has so far killed dozens in China.
Secretary Francisco Duque III on Monday cautioned the public against the eating of dogs, cats, rats, snakes, and lizards.
“Siyempre yun pong aso hindi mo alam kung may rabbies, pusa. Of course, wala pa akong alam na kumakain ng paniki. Alam ko ang daga kinakain yung mga sa agricultural lands. Dapat po itigil natin ito. Kung hindi maiwasan, yung mga ahas, meron po talagang kinakain, yung mga bayawak kinakain, ginagawa adobo,” said Duque in a media briefing in Malacañang.
“Kailangang iluto mo dahil sensitive naman itong mga coronaviruses sa init. So, pagka 53 degrees Centigrade they will be neutralized. So dapat po ito talagang ihanda ito ng maayos. Wag kakain ng hilaw. Rule number, never eat raw meat. Maraming pwedeng sakit pong ibigay yan sa atin,” he added.
The health official said that diseases can be transmitted between animals and humans.
“Marami pong mga sakit ang tao na nagsimula po sa hayop, yung zoonotic transmission kung tawagin. ‘Yan pong SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), nanggaling po sa civet cats. Ang HIV (human immunodeficiency virus)/AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) nanggaling sa mga chimpanzees. Ang ASF (African swine fever) galing po sa baboy. Ang MERS-CoV (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus), originally from the bats tapos pumunta sa camel,” he explained.
The outbreak of coronavirus began in Wuhan City and is believed to have originated from bats.
