By Restituto Cayubit
PALO, Leyte – The Department of Health Regional Office 8 (DOH-8) based in this town said there were 15 patients under investigation (PUI) in Eastern Visayas, but nine had already been cleared of the 2019 nCoV.
Dr. Exuperia B. Sabalberino, DOH 8 assistant director, said that six out of 15 PUI were already discharged because they tested negative for 2019-nCoV Acute Respiratory Disease.
Moreover, three more PUIs were cleared of 2019-nCoV ARD after undergoing quarantine for 14 days.
The laboratory sample specimens of the remaining PUIs are now in Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) for laboratory confirmation.
In summary, she said, nine PUIs were discharged, and six PUIs are still admitted and isolated.
Sabalberino reported on the profile of the new PUIs saying that the 12th PUI, a 26 year-old female, Filipino, is an OFW who worked in Macau and arrived in Tacloban City last January 25, 2020. She had fever and cough, was admitted at the provincial hospital but is now asymptomatic with no other complaints.
The 13th PUI, a 83-year-old female, Filipino, with history of travel from Florida, USA and layover for 3 hours in Pudong, China and arrived in Southern Leyte on January 29, 2020 via Cebu. On February 6, 2020, patient experienced cough and fever that lasted for 2 days, and on February 8 was she sought consultation and currently admitted and isolated at the DOH referral Hospital.
The 14th PUI, a 30 year-old male, Chinese with history of travel to Guagxi, China last January 15, 2020. The patient sought consultation due to sore throat on January 22, 2020 with no fever and colds. He is now beyond 14 days’ observation with no signs of infection.
The 15th PUI is a 25-year old female who sought consultation in a private hospital in Northern Samar, and was managed as a case of pneumonia and treated with antibiotic. It was found out later that the patient had a history of travel to Japan and Taipei, and arrived in the Philippines on January 25, 2020. She is now beyond 14 days’ observation.
Sabalberino said, “We are urging everyone, especially the public to be vigilant and do precautionary measures in avoiding coronavirus.”