Chinese child from Wuhan probed in Cebu for flu-like symptoms —DOH

A five-year-old Chinese child who arrived in Cebu from Wuhan, China is being looked at by the Department of Health (DOH) after exhibiting flu-like symptoms, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said on Tuesday.

At a press briefing, Duque said the patient had already been exhibiting symptoms such as fever, throat irritation, and cough before entering the Philippines last January 12.

The child was immediately taken to the Central Visayas Center for Health Development.

Samples from the child sent to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) tested negative for Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

The samples tested positive for non-specific pan coronavirus assay, meaning that the infection affecting the child is a coronavirus.

However, World Health Organization Country Representative Rabindra Abeyasinghe clarified that “there are many coronaviruses that cause respiratory infections which are very mild.”

The samples have been sent to Australia to identify the specific coronavirus strain.

Duque said the patient was already in stable condition but still had cough.

The health secretary added that the DOH is monitoring three other individuals who exhibited flu-like symptoms upon their arrival at the Kalibo International Airport.

Throat samples from the three travelers have been sent to the RITM for testing.

Duque said all three are currently well and no longer manifesting any symptoms.

According to the DOH, some of the symptoms of a coronavirus infection are fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties.

Abeyasinghe said that out of 222 confirmed cases of the 2019 novel coronavirus, 218 are from China while four are from Thailand, Japan, and South Korea.

The new strain of coronavirus, which was previously not identified in humans, broke out on December 31, 2019 in Wuhan, China.

Abeyasinghe said that four of the confirmed 2019 novel coronavirus patients have died, but three of the fatalities had other pre-existing health conditions that may have contributed to their death.

“It’s too early now to say that it’s a very severe infection that causes death. We are in the early stages of trying to understand how severe this infection is and how many deaths it is likely to cause,” he said.

Abeyasinghe assured the public that the new virus should not be a cause for concern for people who do not have a history of traveling to Wuhan after December 8, 2019.

Bureau of Quarantine chief Ferdinand Salcedo said they will meet with airlines on Wednesday to strengthen border surveillance, but the DOH clarified that no travel restrictions will be imposed yet.

The DOH advised Filipinos to always practice frequent handwashing, avoid contact with farm or wild animals, and practice cough etiquette. —NB, GMA News