July 8, 2012
Health authorities are not yet recommending a travel advisory to Cambodia amid fears about a mysterious respiratory disease that has killed at least 61 children there.
A report on dzBB radio Sunday quoted Health Secretary Enrique Ona as saying that for now, the Bureau of Quarantine will be more alert in watching for symptoms of the disease among incoming travelers.
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National Epidemiology Center head Dr. Enrique Tayag said the disease has so far affected children seven years old and below.
Tayag said airports will screen inbound travelers as standard operating procedure, even as he said little is known of the disease other than that it “affects children, (and is) very fatal,” with its mode of transmission unknown, and causative organism unknown.
He said symptoms of the disease include fever, an elevated white blood cell count and respiratory and/or neurological symptoms followed by death within 24 hours.
For its part, the World Health Organization said the Cambodian Ministry of Health is actively investigating the syndrome.
The WHO said preliminary findings identified 74 cases who were hospitalized from April to July 5.
“Of these, 57 cases (including 56 deaths), presented a common syndrome of fever, respiratory and neurological signs, which is now the focus of the investigation,” it said in a July 6 statement.
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