Philippine gov't seeks public's help against EV-71

The Philippine government urged public's cooperation to prevent enterovirus-71 (EV-71) outbreak on Saturday after the health department reported one case of the disease.

In an interview with state-run radio station, Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda assured that the Department of Health ( DOH) is prepared to handle EV-71.

"We need the participation of the citizenry. If you feel that there are symptoms that would lead to Enterovirus 71, immediately bring it to the attention of the doctors," he said.

He said a person should not wait for the illness to become serious before going to a hospital.

The DOH earlier reported that a 19-month-old toddler from Davao city in southern Philippines has been infected with EV-71, the same virus that has killed more than 60 children in Cambodia.

The boy was the only confirmed case among eight suspected cases in the country with the hand, foot and mouth disease or EV-71 strain, Health Secretary Enrique Ona has said.

The strain detected in the boy was a mild form of EV-71 and could have been in the country long before its deadlier variant killed Cambodian children, Ona noted.