Parents Baffled By Mystery Illnesses
By Azlan Othman

Bandar Seri Begawan - Several worried parents have called the Bulletin after their children experienced inexplicable vomiting, fever and diarrhea for the past three days.

A woman said after she brought her 10 children to the public swimming pool in Berakas, some of them showed these symptoms. But, when they made an inquiry with a doctor in RIPAS, she said the pool is fine.

Another woman said her two children were admitted on Sunday night for high fever.

"My other child was hospitalised on Friday but later discharged on Saturday."

"My husband vomited 13 times, while another patient seeking treatment at RIPAS vomited six times."

Earlier another patient was admitted to Ward 3 of the RI PAS Hospital. "Though it may bean isolated case, there must be something infectious and children seem to be vulnerable to this infection," a puzzled mother said.

She even asked the Bulletin about the symptoms of the bird flu which has now reached Indonesia, besides Vietnam, South Korea and Japan.

The Ministry of Health when contacted yesterday said that there was no outbreak in Brunei nor alert pertaining to this matter. The ailments may have originated from eating contaminated food, the spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, Dr. Sulaiman Hill from an Outpatient Department of JPMC outlined a few tips. These include cooking your food for a longer period, avoiding raw and contaminated food, washing your hands regularly and avoid sharing towels. When you get diarrhea, drink plenty of fluid.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) website, when humans came down with H5NI bird flu in Hong Kong in 1997, patients developed symptoms of fever, sore throat, cough and in several of the fatal cases, severe respiratory distress secondary to viral pneumonia. However, no vomiting and diarrhea were mentioned.

The Agriculture Department in a recent statement reassured the public not to get alarmed about the safety standards in consuming sold chicken meat as Brunei has banned all imports from the affected countries.

Measures to prohibit import of chicken meat, eggs and related species irrespective of the items being alive or processed have been taken to protect the interests of Brunei consumers, the statement added.  -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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