CONFIRMED cases of novel coronavirus infections in the country have increased to 3,018 while the death toll jumped to 136, according to the Department of Health (DOH).
As of 4 p.m. Friday, April 3, 2020 the DOH reported 29 additional deaths, the biggest number listed over a 24-hour period, and 385 additional persons who tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
The increase in cases has been attributed to the improved testing capacity of health facilities in the country while the spike in the number of deaths is attributed to the late reporting of previous deaths, said Beverly Ho, special assistant to Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.
The DOH also reported that another patient has recovered, bringing the total number of recoveries to 52.
Mass testing
In a virtual press conference Friday, DOH Assistant Secretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the planned mass testing for Covid-19 will cover only those with symptoms.
“Under our proposed protocol, those who are with symptoms will be the ones prioritized for testing. And if they test positive, they will be transferred to our community quarantine facilities,” she said.
As of Friday, there were 6,002 patients under investigation (PUIs) and 6,321 persons under monitoring (PUMs).
“But there could be more as we still have those being monitored by local governments and have yet to relay the information to us,” said Vergeire.
PUMs/PUIs
In Cebu, around 9,139 persons in the Province are being monitored by health authorities to prevent the spread of the Covid-19.
Of the number, 9,111 are tagged as persons under monitoring (PUM), nine are identified as patients under investigation (PUI) while 16 have Influenza-like Illness (ILI).
Three persons were also diagnosed with Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI).
PUMs are those who had to undergo the mandatory 14-day home quarantine for having a travel history to places with cases of the Covid-19.
While PUIs are those who were admitted to hospitals after manifesting symptoms of the Covid-19 such as cough, fever and shortness of breath.
These persons also have a travel history to places with cases of the Covid-19 or had contact with someone who had tested positive for the disease.
In her regular live news conference via Sugbo News on Thursday, April 2, Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia said the rise in the number of PUMs may have been partly due to operations at the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) before these were temporarily suspended on March 22.
“Why did the number of PUMs increase? Perhaps it’s because international arrivals had continued. Also, in the southern town of Samboan, there were several people who would have wanted to go home to Negros Oriental. But since their province has already closed its borders, these people are now currently staying in schools,” Garcia said in Cebuano.
Around 462 passengers from abroad who arrived via MCIA enroute to Negros Oriental are stranded in Cebu after Negros Oriental closed its borders.
The Negros Oriental local government is shouldering the living expenses incurred by their constituents who are stranded here.
Meanwhile, around 1,475 individuals in Cebu Province have completed their 14-day mandatory home quarantine.
As of Thursday, April 2, five positive cases of the Covid-19 were recorded in the province.
These are in the cities of Mandaue (2) and Talisay (1) and the towns of Cordova (1) and Consolacion (1).
Recoveries
Meanwhile, two patients earlier found positive for the Covid-19 in Mandaue City have fully recovered on April 2.
Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes said one of the two has been discharged from a private hospital in Mandaue City while the other is still currently admitted to a public hospital in Cebu City.
Both their houses had been disinfected.
Cortes said another Covid-19 case in Mandaue City was only advised to go on home-quarantine in his residence in Barangay Casuntingan
because he was only having mild symptoms and was only identified as a person with ILI.
However, the patient tested positive for Covid-29 on Wednesday, April 1.
The patient’s residence has been tagged as a red zone which means that persons living within a 10-meter radius from the patient’s house are prohibited from leaving their homes.
The Barangay Health Emergency Response Team (BHERTs) is closely monitoring the patient and his family.
The BHERTs will also run errands for the family.
Cortes assured there is nothing to worry about as they have confined and controlled the movement of the patient and his family. (ANV, RTF, KFD, Jove T. Moya / HDT / SunStar Philippines)