A strain of foot and mouth disease that killed 54 children in Cambodia has been detected in a 19-month-old boy who fell ill in the Philippines but later recovered, the health department said Friday.
Health
Secretary Enrique Ona assured the public that the government had
stepped up its surveillance of the disease since the solitary case was
diagnosed at a hospital in the southern city of Davao on July 6.
"He was sent home and has since recovered very well. No other cases were reported in their household nor in the community," Ona told reporters.
The boy was found to have Enterovirus 71 (EV-71), the disease that killed 54 Cambodian children recently, but Ona said the Davao case appeared to involve a less lethal strain.
He said the boy had not been in contact with the infected Cambodians and had not travelled outside the country before becoming ill.
"There are many strains (of the virus). They modify themselves. They had one strain in Cambodia and here, they had another strain," he said.
The public should not panic but should also practice proper hygiene and monitor people who come down with fever and rashes, Ona added.
The disease only affects children although adults can carry the virus, he added.
"He was sent home and has since recovered very well. No other cases were reported in their household nor in the community," Ona told reporters.
The boy was found to have Enterovirus 71 (EV-71), the disease that killed 54 Cambodian children recently, but Ona said the Davao case appeared to involve a less lethal strain.
He said the boy had not been in contact with the infected Cambodians and had not travelled outside the country before becoming ill.
"There are many strains (of the virus). They modify themselves. They had one strain in Cambodia and here, they had another strain," he said.
The public should not panic but should also practice proper hygiene and monitor people who come down with fever and rashes, Ona added.
The disease only affects children although adults can carry the virus, he added.
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