Philippines coordinating with WHO against new coronavirus
MANILA- The Philippine government is closely monitoring all international passengers, particularly those from the Middle East, to ensure that SARS-like virus could not enter into the country, a senior government official said Saturday.
But Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said that there is no need yet to heighten the alert amid the spread of the disease most especially in Saudi Arabia, the top destination for overseas Filipino workers.
“Essentially, we want to assure the public that the Department of Health is already aware of this situation, and that it is closely working with the World Health Organization (WHO) on any updates or any progress in the situation,” she said in an interview over a state-run radio station.
Valte said that airport personnel continue with the scanning process of all the passengers who arrive at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
“The scanning process is still there (at the airport)…it’s for everyone, not only those coming from the Middle East, but all those who pass through our airports,” she said.
The WHO said this week that the new SARS-like virus recently found in humans is “a threat to the entire world.”
The so-called novel coronavirus is part of a family called coronaviruses, which cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to SARS, or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, as well as a variety of animal diseases. The new virus however is different from SARS.
The virus had infected 44 people worldwide as of last week, most of them in the Middle East, according to the WHO. The world health body has called the novel coronavirus Middle East respiratory symptom coronavirus, or MERS-CoV.
Source: Xinhua
