DOH confirms the first case of coronavirus in the Philippines

DOH Secretary Francisco Duque in a press conference on Thursday confirms the first case of coronavirus in the Philippines.

The result of a 38-year-old woman from Wuhan China whose under investigation is positive for coronavirus. Her laboratory results arrive today, Thursday from Melbourne Australia.

She came to the Philippines via Hongkong last January 21, 2020. Accordingly, she was admitted to a government hospital in Manila, Philippines after experiencing a mild cough.

She was asymptomatic, meaning she does not exhibit any other signs and symptoms suggesting the illness.

“I assure the public that the DOH is on top of this evolving situation. We were able to detect the first confirmed case because of our strong surveillance system, close coordination with the World Health Organization and other national agencies,” Duque said.

“We are working closely with the hospital where the patient is admitted and have activated the incident command system of the said hospital for appropriate management specifically on infection control, case management, and containment,” he added.

DOH Director Chito Avelino said that the patient has traveled to the cities of Cebu and Dumaguete and started to track the people who may be exposed to the patient.

Duque urged the public to remain calm and vigilant as well as adopt a healthy lifestyle.

As of today, there are still 23 patients under investigation for coronavirus. 5 individuals have been discharged from the hospital and 1 has died due to pneumonia.

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