Cordillera, Bulacan report 6 PUIs for coronavirus
Credit to Author: Frederick Silverio| Date: Tue, 11 Feb 2020 17:16:47 +0000
Seven persons under investigation (PUIs) in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) and three in Bulacan province and eight persons under monitoring (PUMs) for the 2019 novel coronavirus acute respiratory disease (2019-nCoV ARD) in Zamboanga City had been reported as of Tuesday.
Regional health authorities, however, said the Cordillera remains free of the dreaded coronavirus despite the seven PUIs showing symptoms of the virus and having history of travel to China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.
Dr. Amelita Pangilinan, Department of Health (DoH)-CAR regional director, said of the seven PUIs, four tested negative for the virus based on results of their confirmatory tests from the Metro Manila-based Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), while the three others have been elevated as PUIs because of their history of travel to China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.
She added that three PUIs in the region include a teacher of English in China and two domestic helpers working in Hong Kong who are reportedly vacationing in the Philippines and are natives of Benguet, Abra and Mountain Province in the Cordillera.
Pangilinan said the four individuals who tested negative for the virus were the first reported PUIs in the CAR while the three other individuals were the latest to be elevated as PUIs for showing symptoms of the virus.
“We advise sick people to better stay at home and not to stay in crowded places so as not to complicate their condition and spread the illness,” she added.
Pangilinan said the Health department is grateful to the PUIs for voluntarily submitting themselves to needed tests for the coronavirus.
According to her, the number of days that a PUI stayed in China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan does not matter but what does is their exposure to people who tested positive for the virus.
Pangilinan said 21 individuals classified as PUMs who had been in close contact with identified PUIs in the administrative region could now ascertain their health condition considering their exposure to the identified PUIs.
She reminded CAR residents that the best way to combat the spread of the virus is for them to keep their immune system strong by eating the right kinds of food, having sufficient sleep and exercise and observing a healthy lifestyle.
Tests negative
Of the eight PUMs in Bulacan, five were found negative of the coronavirus, leaving only three PUIs, according to Dr. Joy Gomez of the provincial health office (PHO).
The three PUIs have been placed under isolation in a hospital.
Gomez said results of the patients’ laboratory test would be released on Thursday.
She confirmed that the three PUIs had visited China.
Bulacan Gov. Daniel Fernando has urged residents to keep calm and to pray for those currently infected.
He had instructed the PHO to continue implementingt preventive measures down to the barangay (villages).
The coronavirus originated from China, where it has left over 800 people dead.
It has since spread to at least 27 countries.
No confirmed cases
The eight PUMs in Zamboanga City are on a 14-day quarantine.
Dr. Dulce Miravite said they continue to monitor the situation as there are several others who have travel history to or from Hubei province, where Wuhan city, the reported ground zero for the coronavirus, is located.
“Zamboanga City remains to have no confirmed cases as well as no [PUIs] for nCoV. [We continue] to closely collaborate with the DoH and other health agencies including public and private hospitals, conduct information drives, place health personnel in points of entries and other advocacies so that people will be informed with accurate data and prevent panic and confusion,” she added.
Miravite said persons who had traveled to China, had exposure to coronavirus cases and are health care workers, but with no signs and symptoms of the disease, are considered PUMs and are required to undergo home quarantine.
On the other hand, she added, persons with history of China travel, had close contact with nCoV cases, are healthcare workers but who show signs and symptoms of the virus are considered PUIs and are advised to go to the hospital.
Miravite urged the public to monitor, share and spread only validated information from official sources to prevent panic.
She said the disease was believed to have been transferred from animal species to humans in a seafood and wildlife market in Wuhan,
Miravite added that the virus develops 2-14 days after infection.
Its symptoms include colds, cough, fever, shortness of breath and severe respiratory problems.
Preventive measures include regular hand washing with soap and water, covering one’s mouth when coughing and sneezing, drinking adequate water, observing proper hygiene and sanitation and a healthy lifestyle, and avoiding crowded places, she said.
The Bureau of Quarantine (BoQ) in Zamboanga City has stepped up its monitoring at sea and airports to prevent the entry of the nCoV, especially passengers of ferries plying Sandakan and Zamboanga.
Dr. Omar Aranan, chief of the BoQ-Zamboanga Station, said medical personnel conduct rapid health assessment of all passengers and deportees before disembarking here.
“We have nothing to worry because we have people on the vessel,” according to Aranan, who also said the bureau is coordinating with other agencies for the protection of all other ports of entry within its area of responsibility.
He added that the BoQ has linked up with shipping agents, different maritime agencies, port authorities and members of the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Services for consolidation of efforts in trying to prevent the entry and spread of the nCoV.
Aranan said the agencies have agreed to stop the issuance of “shore pass” to foreign crew or vessels arriving in Zamboanga City although minimal contacts between the port operators and crew are allowed.
He added that they have coordinated with the different port safety security officers on different points of entry, including private wharves, to look at the Safety Security Plan especially for those catering to foreign vessels plying the Zamboanga route.
Ship agent representatives have also been required to submit to the BoQ an advance copy of the maritime declaration of health, voyage memorandum and crew list in order for the latter to have the pertinent documents on hand even before the vessel arrives in Zamboanga.
In this manner, Aranan said, the BoQ can scrutinize vessels even before they arrive.
Vital decisions or precautionary measures can be done according to the documents on hand, he added.
Arriving crew and vessels should also be quarantined for 14 days.
Nonetheless, Aranan said, these safety measures are undertaken without hampering trade and commerce.
“We do our job at the same time we have to strictly monitor our safety in terms of health,” he added.
Because of the Wuhan coronavirus scare, the local government canceled several events included in the celebration of the 83rd Dia de la Ciudad de Zamboanga on February 26.
Christian Olasiman, head of the special events team of the local government, said the Inter-school Drum and Lyre Competition and the Grand Civic-Military Parade and the Field Demonstration at the sports complex have been scrapped.
The main commemorative program and the Local Achievers Awards, which were originally scheduled at the sports complex, will be held after flag-raising at City Hall grounds, according to Olasiman.
He said all other activities for the celebration will continue, but will follow guidelines set by the City Health Office to ensure health security.
Under the guidelines, those who have had travel history to China and other countries with confirmed nCoV cases are advised to undergo self-quarantine at home for 14 days; and those feeling sick or not feeling well are advised not to attend any of the activities and just stay home or go to the hospital.
Chinese vessels in Bataan
In Bataan in Central Luzon, the Philippine Coast Guard on Tuesday reported that more or less 30 crew of two cargo vessels coming from China have undergone quarantine for 14 days as precautionary measure against the coronavirus.
Lieutenant Airland Lapitan, Coast Guard Bataan station commander, said MV BMC Catherine loaded with cement left Mariveles on Monday after 14 days of quarantine while Vissai VCT 02, a crude oil tanker, was still in Morong as of Tuesday undergoing quarantine.
The two vessels, whose last port of call was China, has at least 15 crew each.
With a reports from AL JACINTO, ERNIE B. ESCONDE AND DEXTER A. SEE