Philippines reports 3rd novel coronavirus case

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews

The Philippines Department of Health (DOH) reported today on the third confirmed 2019-nCoV Acute Respiratory Disease (2019-nCoV ARD) case in the country.

The patient is a 60-year-old female Chinese who arrived in Cebu City from Wuhan, China via Hong Kong last January 20, 2020, and traveled to Bohol thereafter. On January 22, the patient consulted a private hospital in Bohol after experiencing fever and coryza.

A sample taken from the patient last January 24 was tested at the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory in Australia and the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM). Results from said tests came back negative last January 29 and 30, and upon recovery of the patient, she was discharged and was allowed to return to China via Cebu last January 31.

However, on February 3, DOH was notified by RITM that a sample taken earlier, January 23, tested positive for 2019-nCoV making her the third confirmed 2019-nCoV ARD in the Philippines.

The DOH reported that as of 12NN today, there is a cumulative total of 133 PUIs for the 2019-nCoV Acute Respiratory Disease (ARD). Of the 133 PUIs, 115 are currently admitted and isolated, while 16 have been discharged under strict monitoring.

Among the PUIs 63 are Filipinos, 54 are Chinese, and 16 from other Nationalities. Thirty-two (32) of which were reported to have traveled to Wuhan, China.

“I would like to remind the public that practicing proper hand hygiene and cough etiquette is still the best way to protect one self from this virus. I am calling all Filipinos to cooperate. In such trying times, we should not let our fears overwhelm us and cause us to over-react. We need to work together,” the Health Secretary concluded.

Update on Contact Tracing

As of today, the EB has assessed 203 contacts and home quarantined 188 contacts from the 1st and 2nd confirmed cases. Of the 203 contacts, 15 are symptomatic where 14 were already isolated for monitoring. DOH is currently working with other concerned agencies to expedite the contact tracing process.

DOH urges the passengers from Cebu Pacific flight 5J241 from Hong Kong to Cebu on January 20 and 21, 2020; Cebu Pacific flight DG6519 from Cebu to Dumaguete on January 21, 2020; and Philippine Airlines flight PR2542 from Dumaguete to Manila on January 25, 2020 to cooperate with DOH representatives who will be getting in touch with them for assessment.