Philippines on alert for mystery disease

MANILA -- Health officials in the Philippines are not discounting the possibility that the mysterious respiratory disease that killed over 60 children in Cambodia may have entered the country.

Department of Health (DOH) spokesman Dr. Eric Tayag said that aside from the enhancement of the screening process of the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) of all arriving travelers in the country, the DOH is also vigilant on possible local incidents similar to that of Cambodia.

"We have already directed hospital authorities to report any such similar cases so that we will immediately know if there are such cases in the country," said Tayag in a phone interview.

In doing so, he said it would be helpful for the government to effectively map out a program specific in addressing such a scenario.

The health official also called on parents to immediately seek medical consultation if their children are showing symptoms of Enterovirus 71 (EV-71), the virus that have killed dozens of children in Cambodia.

"Parents should seek medical advice if their children develop high fever, vomiting, lethargy and limb weakness," Tayag said.

Last Monday, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Cambodian Ministry of Health (MOH) said that based on laboratory tests, several samples had tested positive for EV-71.

So far, the WHO said there have been no such similar cases outside Cambodia, where it killed 52 out of the 59 children reported affected as of July 5. (HDT/Sunnex)