A health official in the Philippines said yesterday a meningitis-like disease that killed eight is not an outbreak, despite 18 new cases recorded this month.

　　Health authorities in the northern mountain resort city of Baguio on Friday declared an outbreak of meningococcemia - an airborne bacterial infection of the blood that can be spread by coughing, kissing or other exchanges of respiratory and throat secretions.

　　Dr luningning Villa, head of the Philippine health department's infectious disease unit, denied it was an outbreak.

　　"We call it an unusual increase of cases," Villa said.

　　"There's no cause for alarm. The situation in Baguio is manageable."

　　Villa said the "sporadic cases come from incidental transmission."

　　Baguio has recorded 12 meningococcemia cases, including five deaths, since the start of the month.

　　Six cases have been reported in Manila, including three deaths.

　　(The Associated Press)