2 Nazarene devotees reported dead, 350 treated by PNRC

(UPDATED 5:45 p.m.) At least two people reportedly died and 350 others sought first aid treatment during Saturday’s procession of the Black Nazarene, the life-sized, dark-colored, wooden image of Jesus Christ believed to be miraculous by Filipino Catholics. Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) secretary general Gwen Pang said that she recived reports that Nazarene devotees Rodrigo Ocampo, 42 and Bernardo Basilio, 40 died. Ocampo, of Arelano, Zobel, Makati City, died of cardiac arrest at the Ospital ng Maynila. He reportedly collapsed after joining the procession on its way back to Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene commonly called Quiapo Church. Basilio, meanwhile, died at the Jose Reyes Memorial Hospital due to multiple injuries in the head and body. But Pang said only the medical committee formed by the Catholic Church tasked to oversee the feast could declare if their death had something to do with the Nazarene parade. Meanwhile, as of 3:50 p.m., the PNRC’s six health stations had provided first aid treatment to at least 350 people, according to Pang. Most of those treated by the PNRC were either injured in the foot or complained of dizziness after joining over one million devotees in Manila. The first aid and health stations of the PNRC are in the following areas: Rizal team, at the Muelle del Banco National at the foot of Mc Arthur Bridge (Sta. Cruz bridge) Escolta area; Quezon City and National Headquarters (NHQ) team, at Prudential Bank (Sta. Cruz); Valenzuela team, at Carriedo Sta. Cruz; Manila and NHQ team, at the Quiapo Church (711/City State); and the Emergency Response Unit (WaSar) team, under the Mc Arthur Bridge in Binondo. The PNRC has deployed 250 first aid volunteers and 20 health experts to provide medical assistance to the devotees. Ten PNRC ambulances are also in Manila for emergencies, while another 10 are on standby. - ARCS/GMANews.TV