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By APD writer Melo M. Acuña
**MANILA, Jan. 24, (APD)-- **Government health authorities confirmed several persons are under observation for probable cases of novel corona virus.
Dr. Ferchito L. Avelino, Department of Health’s Director of the Epidemiology Bureau said the reason the government knew of several people who have come from Wuhan and Hong Kong was due to the International Health Regulation Network where the Philippines is a member.
“We have this open communication and for the international community, we have maintained open communication because by working together we can solve this problem,” he said.
Later in the day, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the five-year old child under observation in Cebu City tested negative for the 2019 novel corona virus. The still unidentified minor yielded positive for pancorona virus assay.
The child manifested pneumonia-like symptoms and had a history of travel from Wuhan, China.
The specimen was sent to the Victorian Infectious Disease Reference Laboratory in Melbourne, Australia.
In a statement, Secretary Duque said the results was enough to ease the people’s growing concern as he vowed to continue monitoring the situation and ensure the general public of appropriate mechanisms to contain the threat since last year.
Meanwhile, Dr. Avelino said a team of health officials composed of epidemiologists and surveillance personnel have been sent to the famed tourist island of Boracay to check on the four foreigners who flew in last Wednesday from Hong Kong.
“The initial information we got from the Bureau of Quarantine was they were allowed in because they were afebrile or they had no fever,” he said.
He said there are thermal scanning devices at international airports and seaports where passengers from abroad are screened.
Dr. Avelino said proper hygiene through correct handwashing and avoidance of crowded places would stem the spread of the disease. “The use of surgical masks would also help,” he concluded.
(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)
