Published: Saturday July 7, 2012
The Philippines Star
MANILA: The Philippine government has implemented a stricter
procedure in screening passengers at the country's international
airports following an outbreak of a fatal respiratory syndrome affecting
children in Cambodia.
Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda
said in an interview with a local radio that the Department of Health is
currently monitoring the situation through its National Epidemiology
Centre.
"That respiratory disease is now being looked into," Xinhua news agency quoted Lacierda.
Health Secretary Enrique Ona has ordered the Quarantine Bureau to be
more vigilant in carrying out routine screening procedures at all
international airports.
Meanwhile, Cambodia's Ministry of
Health's investigation into the mysterious disease that killed 61
children in the country has failed to identify its cause, Xinhua news
agency reported.
Tests revealed samples were found to be
negative for H5N1 and other influenza viruses, SARS and Nipah, the World
Health Organisation (WHO) said.
A total of 57 cases including
56 deaths showed common syndrome of fever and respiratory and
neurological problems, which now are the focus of the investigation.
Seventy-four cases of the disease have been identified from April to July 5 this year with most patients under three years old.
The Cambodian Health Ministry was first alerted of the outbreak by
Kantha Bopha Children's hospital in Phnom Penh where the majority of
patients were hospitalised.
WHO is assisting the ministry with a
focus on hospitalised cases, early warning surveillance data,
laboratory data and field investigations. - Bernama
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