(Eagle News) – Persons under investigation (PUIs) for the 2019 novel coronavirus in the country have reached 80, with 30 of them having negative test results for the virus, according to the Department of Health.
In its regular press briefing on Monday, Feb. 3, the DOH said that of the remaining 50 PUIs, only two so far have tested positive for the virus.
They are the 38-year old Chinese woman from Wuhan who was the first confirmed case in the country, and her 44-year old male companion who died on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2020.
So far, 48 persons are still pending confirmation regarding their test results, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said.
Duque also said that 67 persons are still admitted in various hospitals and placed under isolation, including some of those who have already tested negative since they are still considered under observation.
Only 10 so far have been released after having two negative test results on the nCoV-2019.
Duque also said that the other PUI who had HIV and died of pneumonia, had tested negative for the virus.
He explains the increase of those considered persons under investigation for NCoV-2019 was due to the heightened and developed surveillance for those possible to have the virus, as well as more developed contact tracing.
“Pinalawig din ang PUI category for the whole China,” Duque stressed, noting that before only persons coming from Wuhan and the whole of Hubei province were considered as possible persons under investigation for the virus.
The DOH also said that it had traced 74 contacts of the two confirmed nCoV cases.
“As of today, mayroon na tayong nakitang 74 contacts nung 2 pasyente na positibo sa nCoV, at sila po ay nabigyan na rin ng nararapat na advice kung anong gagawin nila with regards to home quarantine,” said Dr. Ferchito Avelino, head of the DOH’s Epidemiology Bureau.
