The Department of Health (DOH) reported four (4) new confirmed cases of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to ten (10).
Samples from all the new confirmed cases were tested yesterday, March 7, and all results were released today, March 8. DOH is currently investigating all the cases and gathering patients’ information from respective hospitals. DOH is also currently in coordination with concerned Local Government Units and the Centers for Health Development for localized response and implementation of infection prevention and control measures.
The 7th case (PH7) is a 38-year-old Taiwanese male. The patient has a history of contact with a Taiwanese foreign national who visited the Philippines and tested positive for COVID-19 in Taiwan. The patient has no history of travel outside of the country and his symptoms started last March 3. He is currently admitted to a private hospital.
The 8th case (PH8) is a 32-year-old Filipino male with history of travel to Japan within the past 14 days. Onset of symptoms began on March 5 and the patient is currently admitted to a private hospital.
The 9th case (PH9) is an 86-year-old American male with pre-existing hypertension and history of travel to USA and South Korea. Symptoms began on 1 March 2020 and the patient is currently admitted to a private hospital.
The 10th case (PH10) is a 57-year-old Filipino male with no history of travel outside of the country. He was reported to have had contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case, however, DOH is currently investigating details of his exposure. The patient is currently admitted to a private hospital.
Currently, the Epidemiology Bureau is gathering more information and validating available data on the reported cases. DOH will release all pertinent information to the public once it is available.
“The DOH is committed to accurate and timely reporting of verified information on the COVID-19 health situation. We have been preparing for the possibility of localized transmission in the country. Now that there are confirmed cases of localized transmission, DOH and the Inter-agency Task Force are now implementing pre-planned measures to respond to the situation,” Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III said. “Upon confirmation of new cases, we immediately deployed additional surveillance teams and commenced contact tracing,” he added.
DOH urges all individuals who will be contacted by our surveillance teams to fully cooperate in our investigation and contact tracing activities. All individuals presenting with fever and/or respiratory symptoms with history of travel and exposure are also urged to get in touch with DOH and call the designated hotline at (02)8-651-7800 loc 1149-1150 for appropriate management and referral.
“I call on the public to continue to be vigilant and practice personal preventive measures such as proper hand hygiene, social distancing, and cough etiquette. In the meantime, let us refrain from visiting public places and/or attending mass gatherings. DOH is exhausting all its efforts to contain the spread COVID-19. I am calling for your cooperation in this trying time, only through concerted effort at the community level will we be able to succeed against the threat of the disease,” the Health Chief concluded.