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Philippines probing possible case of Chinese virus
MANILA, Jan 21, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – The Philippines was probing on Tuesday its
potential first case of the SARS-like virus that has infected hundreds in
China, health authorities said.
A five-year-old child arrived in the Philippines January 12 from the
central Chinese city of Wuhan, where the disease was discovered, and has been
hospitalised since with flu symptoms. While the child tested positive for a
virus, authorities in Manila say they are not sure if it is the same one that
has killed four people in China and sickened people in three other Asian
countries.
“The child is considered a person under investigation,” Philippine health
secretary Francisco Duque told a press briefing in Manila.
Samples from the child were sent to a lab in Australia for further testing
and authorities are awaiting the results, he added.
The child was already showing symptoms like fever, throat irritation and
cough before arriving in the central city of Cebu with a parent, the health
department said.
Three other travellers from China were checked by authorities at another
airport, but they did not show symptoms that corresponded with the warning
issued by the World Health Organization about the virus from Wuhan.
BSS/AFP/MSY/1344 hrs