By Mike Crismundo BUTUAN CITY - The Department of Health-Center for Health and Development (DOH-CHD) in Northeastern Mindanao or Caraga has recorded a spike in the number of ‘Patients Under Investigation’ or PUIs (PUIs) and ‘Persons Under Monitoring’ or PUMs for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the region. The DOH 13-CHD, however, assured the general public that Caraga region remains free of the dreaded respiratory disease. As of late Sunday night, the DOH 13-CHD recorded 29 PUIs, an increase from Thursday’s (March 19) record of 13. The regional DOH 13-CHD office based here is still awaiting results of PUIs lab tests from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine. A report from the same agency also showed that PUMs rose to 5,715 while 746 of them already cleared/done isolation. These cleared PUMs have completed the mandatory 14-day quarantine period and remained healthy. The DOH 13-CHD said that 4,969 PUMs under home quarantine in the five provinces and six cities in Northeastern Mindanao are still under monitoring and observation. Health officials in Northeastern Mindanao on Monday appealed to the general public to cooperate in an effort to stop the spread of the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic. Health officials in this region also appealed to Caraganons to “stay home”, “stay calm” and “pray”. “We are asking for the full cooperation of everyone,” stressed Regional Director Dr. Jose R. Llacuna, Jr. of the DOH 13-CHD. He said that everyone is encouraged to follow the directives set by the National Inter-Agency Task Force for COVID-19 and local government units (LGUs) to “protect the health of everyone”. Director Llacuna reiterated his call for the public to stay home and should they show symptoms of COVID-19, call the local hotlines of DOH-13 first for proper referral and health advice.