(Eagle News) — The Department of Health today, Jan. 30, confirmed a positive novel coronavirus 2019 (nCoV 2019) case, saying that the patient was a 38-year old Chinese woman from Wuhan, China who is now considered “asymptomatic.”
The DOH said that it is now “working closely with the hospital where the patient is admitted.”
“The Bureau of Quarantine remains on high alert,” DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III said in a briefing Thursday, Jan. 30.
“We are looking at the places, where they have been to in Cebu and Dumaguete,” DOH said.
“I assure that public that the DOH is on top of this developing sitation,” Duque said.
He said that they could also expand the temporary restriction covering only Hubei province at this time.
“So this is going to be dynamic,” Duque stressed.
The patient arrived in the Philippines via Hongkong last January 21, and sought consultation and was admitted immediately on Jan. 25 in one of the country’s public hospitals. At the time, she only had mild cough.
Duque initially did not identify the hospital where the patient is now admitted. Later it was identified as San Lazaro Hospital.
At present, Duque said that the patient is asymptomatic which meant that she is not exhbiting the major symptoms of the disease such as fever.
“She is currently asymptomatic, which means she has no fever or other signs or symptoms suggesting illness at this point,” he said.
The latest development shows that thermal scanners may not be enough as a primary instrument in screening incoming tourists in the country as a person can be positive for nCoV even without fever, the usual determining factor for such instruments.
The DOH announced the country’s first positive case after getting the confirmatory results from Australia.
Duque said that in all, there are 29 patients under investigation. Eighteen of them are in Metro Manila, four in Central Visayas, three in Western Visayas, one in MIMAROPA, one in Eastern Visayas, one in Northern Mindanao, and one in Davao.
He said that 23 of them are currently admitted, while five have been discharged and are being closely monitored.
Duque said that the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases is coordinating with all the local and international agencies concerned.
The task force will convene tomorrow to discuss this development.
It is also in “constant coordination” with officials from all ports of entry for stricter border surveillance.”
Duque assured that DOH facilities all over the country are currently capable of handling the infections, and are implementing strict measures for the safety of all medical personnel.
