By TARA YAP
Three Chinese nationals bound for world-famous Boracay Island were quarantined for the mysterious Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-like virus from China after arriving separately at the international airport in Kalibo, Aklan.
Dr. Cornelio Cuachon Jr., chief of the Aklan Provincial Health Office, said the three were tourists quarantined after exhibiting flu-like symptoms such as fever and difficulty breathing upon arrival at the international airport which has direct flights to and from China.
“Because they had symptoms and they flew in from China, they were all taken to the hospital here in Kalibo for observation,” Cuachon said.
The Department of Health had earlier directed the Bureau of Quarantine to step up its monitoring after the mysterious SARS-like various has been recorded in China.
First to be quarantined was a 29-year-old woman who arrived last Friday night while the second was a three-year-old girl who arrived Saturday morning. The third was a 65-year-old man who arrived Monday morning.
The blood samples and specimens of the three Chinese nationals will be sent to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine in Metro Manila for confirmatory tests.
