TACLOBAN CITY, Jan 19 (PNA) — Some 213 pilgrims had sought medical attention during the Papal Visit in Leyte, but most cases were not serious, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Monday.

Roderick Boyd Cerro, head of the DOH regional epidemiology and surveillance unit said that most common consultations, or 30 cases, were related to acute respiratory infections.

“This was normal because of the stormy weather. Medical cases could have been more serious if Saturday was sunny,” Cerro said.

Other leading health-related complaints were high blood pressure, known diabetes, and diarrhea.

Majority, or 99 percent, of cases were from field hospitals and medical component teams. Almost all pilgrims that sought consultations were more than five years old, according to Cerro.

“There was no abnormal rise of cases that may indicate any impending outbreak,” the health official said.

Majority of cases were reported from the mass site at the airport where 109,000 pilgrims swarmed the airport’s new apron.

The tragic scaffolding incident has killed a volunteer worker and injured two others at the airport.

After the papal visit, the health department asked health workers to brace for increase of pneumonia cases due to cold weather on Saturday.

“We proposed to allocate antibiotics to hospitals and health units in the region for possible increase of pneumonia cases after the visit of Pope Francis,” Cerro said.

The government has deployed more than 1,600 health workers from Jan. 16 to 17 to respond to health emergencies. (PNA)

RMA/SARWELL Q. MENIANO/ED