Psoriasis patient erroneously reported as afflicted with flesh-eating disease now home

By: Philippines News Agency March 8, 2014 10:20 AM

InterAksyon.com The online news portal of TV5

SAN CARLOS CITY, Pangasinan - One of the two patients erroneously reported in an ABS-CBN report as afflicted with a skin disease caused by a so-called flesh-eating bacteria is now home after being discharged from the Pangasinan Provincial Hospital (PPH).

Alex Maganes, 19, of Villasis town, who was actually suffering from an acute episode of psoriasis, a genetic, non-contagious disease of the skin--complicated by arthritis which is why he could not walkwas discharged March 6.

Still in hospital is Mary Grace Clasara, 21, of Sta. Barbara town who was suffering from leprosy as well as from malnutrition.

Neither patients condition was deemed contagious, doctors said, but as a precautionto ensure they do not catch any hospital-based infection that could worsen their frail healththe two patients were kept in an isolation room.

Dr. Policarpio Manuel, chief of the PPH, said Maganes is now well and can now walk a bit, which is an improvement from his medical condition when he was first brought to the hospital on February 25.

The day before, an ABS-CBN report tagged him and Clasara as suffering from a mysterious disease caused by a flesh-eating bacteria that alarmed the people of Pangasinan and prompted tourists, foreign and domestic, to cancel their trips to the province. Local officials said demand for their famous milkfish [bangus] also declined.

ABS-CBN has apologized for the report.

Clasara will remain in the hospital longer, as she has to be treated of her anemia and needs to gain weight.

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Psoriasis patient erroneously reported as afflicted with flesh-eating disease now home