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HONG KONG -- The World Health Organization and Cambodian health officials are investigating why at least 61 children in the country have died mysteriously after suffering severe neurological and respiratory complications.

Dr. Beat Richner of the Kantha Bopha Children's Hospitals, who first alerted Cambodia's health authorities about the unknown disease, said that as of Friday he knew of 64 cases in which only two children have survived.

The Cambodian Ministry of Health said that 56 of the deaths were preceded by a common syndrome of fever and respiratory and neurological problems.

Seventy-four cases of the disease have been identified, the ministry said.

Countries surrounding Cambodia were informed of a deadly disease that killed dozens of children this week through the International Health Regulations event information system, which provides public health communications.

In Hong Kong, a major air hub in the region, health officials responded by alerting doctors to be watchful for patients returning from Cambodia who have respiratory symptoms. Travelers who have been to Cambodia were told to visit their doctors if they developed respiratory symptoms.

The unknown illness appears in children, according to the WHO and the Cambodian Ministry of Health.

A majority of the identified cases were in children under 3, the health ministry said.

"The investigation is ongoing. We are looking at detailed information from the hospital records and analyzing each and every case. We hope to have a better picture in the coming days," said Dr. Ly Sovann, a deputy director at the ministry.

The children who fell ill first experienced a high fever followed by respiratory problems. Some of them also had neurological symptoms that included convulsions, according to the WHO.

Richner said the patients suffered from encephalitis, which is the inflammation of the brain.

"They are hospitalized," he said. "They arrive in our hospital; in the last moments ... they die because their lungs are destroyed."

When asked what he thought caused the deadly illness, he said: "I think our idea is an enterovirus or an intoxication of a drug," or a combination of both.

Richner added that the number of cases affected by the unknown disease is low -- 34 cases in June, compared with the 75,000 sick children at Kantha Bopha's outpatient clinics and 16,000 hospitalized kids.

The majority of the cases came from the southern part of the country, but there haven't been signs of clustering, according to the WHO.

The young patients were brought to hospitals in the capital, Phnom Penh, and the northern tourist hub of Siem Reap -- the two biggest cities of Cambodia. The Angkor Hospital for Children in Siem Reap reported one case of the mysterious illness as of Friday, according to an e-mail received by CNN from Dr. Bill Housworth, the hospital's executive director.

"WHO supports the Ministry with the investigation and detailed analysis of each of these cases to find out the cause," wrote Dr. Pieter Van Maaren, a representative of WHO in Cambodia in an e-mail Friday.

(CNN)
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"Don't stop this child, He's the father of man
Don't cross his way, He's part of the plan
I am that child, but so are you
You've just forgotten, Just lost the clue.”

MJ "Magical Child"
Still Rocking my World…
   and leaving me Speechless!

“True goodbyes are the ones never said

*

everlastinglove_MJ

This is sad news. I found some more info, it appears to be an Enterovirus, according to some sources.. I hope the rest of the results will follow soon because the virus infected children can get the right treatment and others can get profylactic treatments. I deeply hope the virus will not spread further.

Phnom Penh, Cambodia (CNN) -- Health officials say they have made an important discovery in the mystery surrounding the deaths of 64 children in Cambodia.
The Institut Pasteur in Cambodia tested samples taken from 24 patients and found 15 had tested positive for Enterovirus Type 71 -- a common cause of hand, foot and mouth disease that can also cause severe neurologic complications, mainly in children.

"These results now give a good explanation to this outbreak," Dr. Philippe Buchy, head of the institute's virology unit, said in an e-mail. "We will get more results hopefully by next Tuesday or Wednesday."

But an official with the World Health Organization cautioned that the outbreak has not been fully solved, and more analysis is needed.

Outbreaks "occur periodically in the Asia-Pacific region," according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Brunei had its first major outbreak in 2006. China had an outbreak in 2008.

Though the detection of EV71 in Cambodia is significant, there may be other factors, said Dr. Beat Richner of Kantha Bopha hospitals.

Over the past three months, 66 children -- between 2 and 3 years old -- were admitted to Kantha Bopha facilities. All but two died mysteriously after suffering severe neurological and respiratory complications, Richner said.


Deadly disease kills Cambodian children In their last hours of their life, the children suffered a "total destruction of the alveola(e) in the lungs," Richner said.

"We have now to see what really is causing the deadly pulmonary complication and see if a toxic factor is playing a role too," he said.

The positive test for EV71 does not particularly help in the treatment of the illness, as there is no effective antiviral treatment for severe EV71 infections, and no vaccine is available.

In milder cases, EV71 can cause coldlike symptoms, diarrhea and sores on the hands, feet and mouth, according to the journal Genetic Vaccines and Therapy.

But more severe cases can cause fluid to accumulate on the brain, resulting in polio-like paralysis and death.

Adults' well-developed immune systems usually can fend off the virus, but children are vulnerable to it, according to the CDC.

Richner said the patients suffered from encephalitis, which is the inflammation of the brain.

On Sunday, a World Health Organization (WHO) representative in Cambodia warned the new discovery "does not mean we have solved the problem of the undiagnosed cases. A lot more analysis is needed, and further laboratory investigations need to be done."

Richner criticized WHO for previously making statements to the media "without being clear on the facts," the hospital official said in his statement Sunday.

"WHO was telling whole the world: New mystery killer disease in Cambodia! This was causing unnecessary panic in Cambodia," Richter wrote.

Richner has said the number of cases affected by the mysterious disease is relatively low -- 34 cases in June, compared with the 75,000 sick children at Kantha Bopha's outpatient clinics and 16,000 hospitalized kids.

But Pieter van Maaren with the WHO in Cambodia rejected suggestions that his organization caused any kind of panic. He said Richner was the one who stated, in a letter to the government, that the situation in Cambodia was "most severe."

"WHO has not made any statement about the disease, other than what we issued in the joint press release with the Ministry of Health," van Maaren said.

The ministry reported the outbreak to WHO through the International Health Regulations, which 194 nations are parties to, van Maaren said. "Since this event fitted the criteria of being an event where the underlying agent, disease or mode of transmission is not identified at the time, WHO is obliged to communicate information to other member states."

EV71 was first isolated in California in 1969, according to the CDC.

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It's all for L.O.V.E.

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everlastinglove_MJ

Some statistics about Cambodian children, which can not be ignored:

Quote
Statistics 

 
The following statistics are disturbing and cannot be ignored: 

The status of children’s health in Cambodia rates amongst the worst in the world. Over 40 per cent of children under five are malnourished. Only 50 per cent of children are immunised. The mortality rate for children under five is amongst the highest in the region with 122 deaths per 1,000 births.   

The health indicators are also very disturbing. Inadequate nutrition, poor maternal health and a major deficiency in Vitamin A, Iron, and Iodine. Acute respiratory infection, dengue, diarrhoea, typhoid and dehydration are almost constant problems, particularly in rural areas.   

More than 56 per cent of Cambodia’s population is under the age of 19. Living in extreme poverty, many of these children face serious risks presented by homelessness, hazardous labour and prostitution.   

It is estimated that over 10,000 children live on the streets in Cambodia. They are usually orphans abandoned or from broken families. Many have experienced violence, abuse, health problems, malnutrition, substance abuse and exploitation. Living impoverished lives, many have no idea of the joys of childhood experienced by other children around the world. 

There are over 100,000 children aged between five and 17 who do not participate in education or normal play activities because circumstances have forced them into the workforce. Child labour in Cambodia includes working in brick factories, scrap collecting, scavenging and begging.

The sexual abuse of children by locals and foreigners causes unimaginable physical and mental harm to children and destroys the fabric of Cambodian society. Based on recent findings, it is estimated that over 20,000 women and children are involved in the sex trade in Cambodia alone. Over one-third are believed to be children.   

 In Cambodia approximately 15 per cent of the population lives with disabilities mainly from diseases such as polio, congenital disabilities acquired through malnutrition and poverty, and the after effects of war and conflict, especially the devastating impact of millions of landmines.   

Cambodia appears to be a country that has been plagued by disasters. In 2001, for instance, while still recovering from the effects of a massive flood, Cambodia experienced a drought so severe that it affected almost 1.2 million people in ten provinces.   

Cambodia’s health statistics reflect the problems caused by decades of war and a public health system that has limited capacity to deal with even primary health concerns.   

There is an estimated 2.6 per cent of the adult population (aged between 15 and 49 years) living with HIV/Aids in Cambodia. This means that Cambodia has the highest infection rate in Asia. HIV/aids has a significant impact on communities heightening poverty, reducing health, breeding stigma and discrimination, and increasing the number of orphans. 

Two million people were killed during the Khmer Rouge regime which clearly has impacted on the population in many negative ways.   

Domestic violence is common-place for three out of every four children. Violent upbringings are not uncommon given the disturbing times that a great part of the population has experienced. Emotional needs of children tend not to be met.
 
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NWO - WHO - All under the same umbrella IMO.  I have always had suspicions about this organization with their vaccines and man made viruses and illegal drug peddling .  I have always felt they someway were involved in Michael’s hoax.  Though most have other beliefs on why he hoaxed, I still hold onto the fear that there were other infractions that involved children’s threatened well being and his instrumentation into thwarting it.
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"Don't stop this child, He's the father of man
Don't cross his way, He's part of the plan
I am that child, but so are you
You've just forgotten, Just lost the clue.”

MJ "Magical Child"
Still Rocking my World…
   and leaving me Speechless!

“True goodbyes are the ones never said

 

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