DOH-Eastern Visayas isolates 2 new suspected nCoV patients

LEYTE. Health officials in Eastern Visayas hold press briefing on Tuesday, February 4, to discuss the update on 2019-novel coronavirus acute respiratory disease (2019-nCoV ARD). (Photo courtesy of DOH-Eastern Visayas)
LEYTE. Health officials in Eastern Visayas hold press briefing on Tuesday, February 4, to discuss the update on 2019-novel coronavirus acute respiratory disease (2019-nCoV ARD). (Photo courtesy of DOH-Eastern Visayas)

TWO more patients under investigation (PUIs) for 2019-novel coronavirus acute respiratory disease (2019-nCoV ARD) have been admitted in a government isolation referral facility in Eastern Visayas.

"We assure the public that the Department of Health is strictly monitoring for possible cases, especially on local transmission or community spread in the region and still continue the prevention measure control like boosting your immune system, cough etiquette and hand washing," said Dr. Miverva Molon, director of the Department of Health (DOH) in Eastern Visayas.

Molon identified one of the two PUIs as a 55-year-old male from Leyte with history of travel from Israel and layover in Hong Kong, and return flight route to Manila, then Tacloban City on January 25, 2020.

The patient, who has a colon cancer, developed symptoms such as fever on February 2, 2020.

The second PUI is a 22-year-old female from Samar with history of travel from Hong Kong last December 23, 2019, and arrived in Manila on January 4, 2020.

On January 19, 2020, the patient experienced fever, colds and sore throat, which lead her to seek medical consultation on the following day.

"Headache and fever recurred on February 2, 2020, which prompted her to go for another consultation. She is now admitted and isolated for 14 days or until negative laboratory result on 2019-nCoV ARD from Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (Ritm)," said Molon.

Molon maintained, however, that the region has no confirmed cases of the 2019-nCoV ARD to date.

Meanwhile, the health official said they are monitoring seven "asymptomatic" persons who had contact with the PUIs.

The persons under monitoring (PUM) is a category used to describe an individual who came from other parts of the world with confirmed 2019-nCoV ARD infection except China, has no history of exposure, but with fever and/or cough.

"These individuals are advised to do self-quarantine, avoid crowded places and to report immediately to the nearest health facility if symptoms occur," said the DOH official in a statement.

Eastern Visayas now has a total of three admitted PUIs and one discharged last February 1, 2020.

As of 12 p.m. Tuesday, February 4, the Philippines recorded a total of 105 suspected cases of 2019-nCoV ARD, where 90 are admitted, 12 discharged, and one death but negative of the virus, and two confirmed cases. (SunStar Philippines)

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