DOH confirms three new COVID-19 cases; total number of PH cases now 52
Published Mar 12, 2020 12:00 am
By Analou De Vera
The number of confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the country rises to 52, as three new cases were recorded by the Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday afternoon.
Department of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III (CZAR DANCEL / MANILA BULLETIN)
The three new confirmed cases were all Filipino nationals, the DOH said.
A 69-year-old Filipina from Quezon City, the country's 50th confirmed case, is currently admitted at the Medical City after she showed symptoms of COVID-19 last March 8.
The Philippines' 51st confirmed case is a 26-year-old man from Quezon City. He manifested symptoms last Feb. 28 and is admitted at the Makati Medical Center.
The 52nd confirmed case is a 79-year-old Filipina who has a travel history to the United Kingdom. She started to manifest symptoms last March 1 and is now admitted at the Asian Hospital and Medical Center.
All of the three new cases were found positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday (March 11).
The DOH said it deployed surveillance teams, in coordination with the respective local government units, for the conduct of "extensive information gathering and contact tracing activities."
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III urged the public to cooperate in the contact tracing activities.
"Individuals with a history of known exposure to a positive patient and/or travel to areas with local transmission, within and outside the country, presenting with mild symptoms are advised to self-isolate and be home-quarantined for 14 days," Duque said.
"Those presenting severe and critical symptoms need to be immediately admitted to health facilities. Let us be responsible our own health, family's well-being, and that of our community," he added.
Second death
The DOH said the country's 35th case, a 67-year-old Filipina, died due to severe pneumonia. The Manila Doctors Hospital, where she was admitted, confirmed in a statement that she succumbed to COVID-19. She is the second confirmed death of COVID-19 in the Philippines and the first Filipino to have died of the disease.
The first COVID-19 death in the Philippines involved a 44-year-old man from Wuhan, China. He was the first known fatality outside of China, where the virus originated.
The Health department said the woman experienced symptoms on Feb. 29 and was admitted last March 5. The test result came out positive last March 11, the same day she passed away at around noon.
"The patient had existing medical conditions, namely hypertension and diabetes mellitus," Duque said.
Duque added that her 72-year-old husband, who is the country's 34th confirmed case, remains confined at the Manila Doctors Hospital.
The Health chief said elderly people, those averaging 66 years old, as well as those with underlying medical conditions are vulnerable to COVID-19. Examples of underlying conditions include cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and chronic lung disease, among others.
"Our recent mortality has underlying medical conditions, making the patient extremely vulnerable to COVID-19... We further urge those who are immunocompromised and are with existing health conditions to be more vigilant and avoid crowded and mass gatherings," Duque said.
"We reiterate that the best way to protect yourself from the disease is to keep yourself healthy and practice general preventive measures -- proper hand washing, cough etiquette, and social distancing."
Department of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III (CZAR DANCEL / MANILA BULLETIN)
The three new confirmed cases were all Filipino nationals, the DOH said.
A 69-year-old Filipina from Quezon City, the country's 50th confirmed case, is currently admitted at the Medical City after she showed symptoms of COVID-19 last March 8.
The Philippines' 51st confirmed case is a 26-year-old man from Quezon City. He manifested symptoms last Feb. 28 and is admitted at the Makati Medical Center.
The 52nd confirmed case is a 79-year-old Filipina who has a travel history to the United Kingdom. She started to manifest symptoms last March 1 and is now admitted at the Asian Hospital and Medical Center.
All of the three new cases were found positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday (March 11).
The DOH said it deployed surveillance teams, in coordination with the respective local government units, for the conduct of "extensive information gathering and contact tracing activities."
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III urged the public to cooperate in the contact tracing activities.
"Individuals with a history of known exposure to a positive patient and/or travel to areas with local transmission, within and outside the country, presenting with mild symptoms are advised to self-isolate and be home-quarantined for 14 days," Duque said.
"Those presenting severe and critical symptoms need to be immediately admitted to health facilities. Let us be responsible our own health, family's well-being, and that of our community," he added.
Second death
The DOH said the country's 35th case, a 67-year-old Filipina, died due to severe pneumonia. The Manila Doctors Hospital, where she was admitted, confirmed in a statement that she succumbed to COVID-19. She is the second confirmed death of COVID-19 in the Philippines and the first Filipino to have died of the disease.
The first COVID-19 death in the Philippines involved a 44-year-old man from Wuhan, China. He was the first known fatality outside of China, where the virus originated.
The Health department said the woman experienced symptoms on Feb. 29 and was admitted last March 5. The test result came out positive last March 11, the same day she passed away at around noon.
"The patient had existing medical conditions, namely hypertension and diabetes mellitus," Duque said.
Duque added that her 72-year-old husband, who is the country's 34th confirmed case, remains confined at the Manila Doctors Hospital.
The Health chief said elderly people, those averaging 66 years old, as well as those with underlying medical conditions are vulnerable to COVID-19. Examples of underlying conditions include cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and chronic lung disease, among others.
"Our recent mortality has underlying medical conditions, making the patient extremely vulnerable to COVID-19... We further urge those who are immunocompromised and are with existing health conditions to be more vigilant and avoid crowded and mass gatherings," Duque said.
"We reiterate that the best way to protect yourself from the disease is to keep yourself healthy and practice general preventive measures -- proper hand washing, cough etiquette, and social distancing."