Kidapawan has no PUIs, only PUMs

By Malu Manar KIDAPAWAN CITY -- The City Government here has clarified that the nine persons they have been monitoring for novel coronavirus (nCoV) because of their travel to China during the previous weeks did not manifest flu-like symptoms. Lawyer Jose Paolo Evangelista, chief of the City Information Office (CHO), said the City Health Office (CHO) has started monitoring these residents since last week. A staff from the City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (CESU) told media here that they assigned one staff to each PUM and reports to them daily.  These health personnel, she added, wear face mask and other protective gears whenever they engaged the PUMs. The PUMs were told to do self-quarantine for 14 days, the CESU added.  As of Saturday, these persons are still looking healthy or have no signs of any sickness. The CESU refused to identify the PUMs and the places where they are being quarantined to prevent panic among residents. Some PUMs are reportedly feeling ostracized especially when their neighbors learned they were strictly being monitored by the health office. Evangelista assured the public that they have nothing to worry about since the PUMs do not have cough, fever, body malaise, and sore throat even if they travelled to China a few days ago. The PUMs are all Filipinos, he said. On Sunday, the Department of Health (DoH) in Soccsksargen region reported its first patient-under-investigation for nCoV. DoH-12 health education and promotions officer Arjohn Gangoso said the PUI was placed in an isolation facility in one of the hospitals in the region and is strictly being monitored by health personnel. Gangoso refused to identify the hospital where the PUI is being treated.