500 Syrians treated for symptoms of gas poisoning in Douma, WHO says

The World Health OrganizationsaidWednesday some500 people had been treated for "signsand symptoms consistent with exposure to toxic chemicals" aftera suspected poison gas attack in a Syrian rebel enclave just before it fell.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Western allies areconsidering military action to punish Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for the reported poison gas assault on Saturday in thetown of Douma, which had long held out against a governmentsiege. Damascus said reports of a gas attack are false.

The WHO condemned the incident and said over 500 people fromDouma had been treated for symptoms of gas poisoning.

"In particular, there were signs of severe irritation ofmucous membranes, respiratory failure and disruption to central nervous systems of those exposed," the United Nations healthagency said in a statement issued in Geneva.

It cautioned that the WHO has no formal role in forensicinquiries into the use of chemical weapons. International chemical weapons inspectors are seeking assurances from Damascusof safe passage to and from Douma to determine whether globallybanned munitions were used, though will not assign blame.

WHO also said more than 70 people sheltering frombombardment in basements in the former rebel pocket of easternGhouta, where Douma is located, were reported to have died.

'We should all be outraged'

It said 43 of those deaths were "related to symptomsconsistent with exposure to highly toxic chemicals," citing reports from its local health partners.

"We should all be outraged at these horrific reports andimages from Douma," said Peter Salama, WHO's deputy director general for emergency preparedness and response."WHO demands immediate unhindered access to the area toprovide care to those affected, to assess the health impacts,and to deliver a comprehensive public health response."

UNaid agencies lack access to most of eastern Ghouta,from which rebels are withdrawing under a deal with the Syrian government that restored its control over the region.

WHO said it had trained more than 800 Syrian health workersto recognize symptoms and treat patients for chemical weaponsexposure. The UNagency has also distributed antidotes fornerve agents, including in besieged Douma last year.

Tens of thousands of civilians remain trapped in Douma, theUNrefugee agency UNHCR said on Tuesday, and it demandedaccess to the area.

More than 133,000 people are estimated to have fled adesperate humanitarian situation in eastern Ghouta over the pastfour weeks, UNHCR added.