THE Philippines now has five confirmed cases of coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
The Department of Health (DOH) said on Friday, March 6, 2020 that the two new cases involved a 48-year-old and a 62-year-old, both Filipino males.
The 48-year-old Filipino recently visited Tokyo, Japan and returned to the Philippines on Feb. 25. He experienced chills and fever on March 3 and tested positive for Covid-19 on March 5.
“He is currently stable and admitted at the RITM (Research Institute for Tropical Medicine),” said DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III.
The 62-year-old Filipino, on the other hand, had no known history of travel outside the country, but he is now suffering from severe pneumonia after experiencing cough last Feb. 25. He sought medical consultation on March 1 in a hospital in Manila and was admitted at the RITM.
Specimens were collected on March 4, and he tested positive for the new virus on March 5, added Duque.
Contact tracing for the two new cases is now being done by health authorities, and samples were collected from those who had close contact with the fourth and fifth cases.
Local transmission
Duque said although the fifth case did not travel abroad, it was still premature to say that there is local or community transmission of the novel coronavirus in the Philippines.
“There is no transmission to speak of as of yet because we only have one. As soon as we do get confirmation of more positive cases, that’s the time that we can say there is local transmission,” he added.
World Health Organization Representative to the Philippines Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe believes that local transmission may have already occurred in the country.
“Even the fifth case is a local transmission. But getting another case in a very close contact does not mean widespread transmission. We know that this disease is transmitted upon close contact,” Abeyasinghe said.
The fifth case is known to have regularly visited a Muslim prayer hall in Barangay Greenhills, San Juan City, Manila.
The DOH called on previous visitors of the prayer hall who are manifesting fever and respiratory symptoms to call the DOH hotline (02) 8-651-7800 local 1149 to 1150 so they can be referred to the appropriate health facility.
“We already have one relative, which has been with the patient all throughout, who has experienced symptoms, and is now with him in our referral hospital. The specimen was collected, and we’re just awaiting results,” said DOH Assistant Secretary Maria Rosario Vergeire.
“Our priority is to protect our health workers and the most vulnerable populations,” Duque said.
“We can still contain the spread of the virus in the country. That is why we are encouraging the public to practice proper handwashing, social distancing and cough etiquette,” he added.
The Philippines’ first three confirmed cases involved three Chinese nationals.
The first two cases were a 38-year-old female Chinese national and her 44-year-old boyfriend who visited Cebu, Dumaguete and Manila in January. The boyfriend died in Manila due to severe pneumonia. The third case involved a 60-year-old Chinese national who traveled to Bohol and Cebu.
Both the 38-year-old and 60-year-old patients were discharged from hospitals, and they returned to China after they already tested negative for the virus.
Cviraa
In Cebu, mayors of the different towns and cities passed a resolution on Friday, March 6 asking for a postponement of the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (Cviraa) meet scheduled from March 21-28, 2020 in Dumaguete City.
The local officials, along with Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, were concerned over the safety of provincial athletes who will be sent to compete in the annual sports event organized by the Department of Education (DepEd).
“The cases of coronavirus infection are getting worse. In fact, schools in Japan have been closed and classes have been suspended in Hong Kong and other areas because of the virus,” Garcia said in Cebuano during a consultation meeting with the mayors held at Capitol. The mayors also cited the DOH warning to avoid crowded places.
Provincial Schools Division Superintendent Marilyn Andales submitted a list of 436 students from Cebu’s different towns and cities who will be sent to compete in the Cviraa and explained that DepEd will undertake all necessary precautions and health protocols. Doctors and nurses will also accompany the Cebu delegation during the meet, she said.
Andales said DepEd 7 Director Salustiano Jimenez has been informed about the request of Cebu officials to postpone the Cviraa.
“Definitely our regional director is concerned about the issue now,” she said. (SunStar Philippines, JJL, KFD, ANV)