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ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews/12 August) – The Department of Health (DOH) has confirmed that one of the six individuals in Region 9 suspected to be infected with Enterovirus (EV) tested positive for the disease.
Dr. Norvie Jalani, epidemiologist of the DOH regional office, disclosed that the patient is a 12-year-old boy from this city.
Jalani’s pronouncement was based on the result of the swab examination released last Thursday by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine of DOH-central office.
However, Jalani emphasized that the patient is only positive for “mild Enterovirus” not EV-71 that recently killed at least 50 children in Cambodia.
City Health Officer Dr. Rodelin Agbulos said the mild EV is an ordinary virus that causes diarrhea, and foot and mouth diseases.
The EV-71 that hit Cambodia is a severe form of virus that causes meningitis and infection of the brain, Agbulos said.
Jalani said they are still waiting for the swab examination result on one of the other five suspected cases since the four yielded negative results.
Three of the six individuals including the one that tested positive and the other one still awaiting result are from this city, two are from Zamboanga del Norte and one is from Zamboanga Sibugay, Jalani said.
She advised the public to practice proper hand washing and to observe strict personal hygiene.
Agbulos also advised the public to immediately report to health authorities if they feel anything unusual especially neurologic manifestation associated with loose bowel movement, vomiting, and diarrhea for “early detection and management.” (MindaNews)