The Philippine Embassy in Phnom Penh advises the Filipino Community in Cambodia to take the necessary precautions against the Novel Coronavirus (2019 - nCoV), especially following the announcement by Cambodia’s Ministry of Health (MOH) that a 60-year old Chinese man from Wuhan City has tested positive for the virus. The man arrived in Sihanoukville with his family on 23 January 2020. He and his family are currently being treated/quarantined in the Preah Sihanouk Referral Hospital. Cambodian government authorities are now looking for individuals who may have come into contact with this man.
MOH has advised the public to be on high alert because this virus can be transmitted from one person to another. The MOH has installed thermal scanners at the international airports in Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville, and Siem Reap as well as at border crossings in Poipet, Bavet, and Prek Chak in Kampot. All flights to and from Wuhan City have been cancelled.
According to the 27 January 2020 Situation Report from the World Health Organization (WHO), there are 2,798 confirmed cases of nCoV infection around the world, with 2,741 in China, and 37 cases in 11 other countries. There have been 81 deaths in China. WHO’s risk assessment is “very high” in China, and “high” at the regional and global levels.
Precautions to take to minimize the risk of exposure:
- Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use alcohol-based hand rub before eating, when preparing food, when caring for the sick, after toilet use, after handling animals or animal waste;
- Wear a surgical mask;
- Cover nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing with tissue or flexed elbow;
- Avoid close contact with anyone that has cold or flu-like symptoms;
- Thoroughly cook eggs and meat; and
- No unprotected contact with live wild or farm animals.
Common symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat, and shortness of breath. If one feels unwell and has a fever of about 38 degrees Celsius, please call MOH’s hotline number at 115, especially if one has traveled to China or had contact with people who had respiratory diseases or with sick animals in the period of 14 days before the symptoms emerged.
In the Philippines, there have been no confirmed cases of infection, although the Department of Health is closely monitoring eleven (11) patients under investigation (i.e, they more often than not presented symptoms with fever, cough colds, some shortness of breath, and a travel history in Wuhan.).
For official updates, please follow the FB page of the Ministry of Health of Cambodia https://www.facebook.com/MinistryofHealthofCambodia/
and the Philippine Department of Health
https://www.facebook.com/OfficialDOHgov/
28 January 2020
