By Marie Tonette Marticio
TACLOBAN CITY - Two more persons under investigation (PUIs) from Leyte and Samar provinces, and seven persons under monitoring (PUMs) were reported by the Department of Health (DOH) in Eastern Visayas for 2019 novel coronavirus (2019 n-CoV) who has a recent travel history to Hongkong making a total of 4 PUIs in the region.
Department of Health (Manila Bulletin)
DOH 8 Regional Director Minerva Molon said the third PUI was a 55-year old Filipino, who had a history of travel to Israel and layover in Hongkong.
She said the patient arrived in Tacloban City on January 25 and developed symptoms such as fever on February 2.
He has been admitted at a DOH referral hospital, and is known as a compromised patient because of an existing health condition.
Dr. Lory Ruetas of the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center said the PUI had no major complaints and showed stable vital signs as of Tuesday, February 4.
RD Molon disclosed that the fourth PUI was a 20-year old Filipina from Samar with a history of travel to Hongkong on December 23, and arrived in Manila on January 4.
On January 19, she experienced fever, colds, and sore throat, prompting her to seek consultation the next day.
On February 2, her fever and headache recurred, prompting her to seek another consultation.
"She was advised for isolation because of recurrence of symptoms. She has no more major complaints except headache and has normal vital signs," Molon said.
She added that the PUIs would be admitted or isolated for 14 days or until the laboratory results from the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Muntinlupa City are received.
Meanwhile, Molon revealed that DOH 8 was also monitoring seven persons who had close contact with the PUIs.
"PUMs were advised to have self-quarantine and avoid crowded places. They are asymptomatic," she said.
DOH has categorized two groups of clients who will be advised for isolation, and others who will be monitored in the community who either had a history of travel to areas with confirmed n-CoV cases except for China but are asymptomatic, and those who had close contact with PUIs.
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