TWO patients diagnosed with Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (Sari) died on Wednesday, March 18, less than 24 hours from the time they were admitted at the Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC).
NMMC Chief Dr. Jose Chan said in a regular press conference on coronavirus disease Thursday morning, March 19, that the two Sari patients were females and were not residents of Cagayan de Oro City.
They also had no known recent travel history abroad.
Chan said one of the Sari patients had her swab taken and delivered to the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine (RITM) on Wednesday for testing before she died. They still have not received the result of the test.
"Ang usa nakuhaan nato og sample pero wala pay resulta. Ang isa wala na tay nakuhaan og sample kay grabe na gyud sya (We have taken a sample from one of the patients but there's still no result. We have not been able to take a sample from the other patient because her condition was already severe)," Chan said.
“Basin kay sa pagkakaron kamulo ta og pangita unsa ba gyu’y tinood nga style ani nga virus. Basta sa karon atong nahibaw-an gikan sa December hangtod sa March, mas grabe siya kung duna tay pre-existing health condition ug sa mga may edad na,” Chan said.
As of March 19, the NMMC has 12 admitted patients under investigation (PUIs).