TACLOBAN CITY – A previously identified person under monitoring (PUM) in Samar was confined Thursday night after manifesting symptoms of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
In a press statement released Friday afternoon, Department of Health (DOH) 8 (Eastern Visayas) assistant director Exuperia Sabalberino said the 43-year-old female arrived from a recent trip to Hong Kong last February 17.
The Filipino patient was home-quarantined for three days and developed cough and sore throat on February 19.
She was admitted to a referral hospital for isolation and further management the next day, Sabalberino said.
“We would like to commend the support of the patient under investigation (PUI) and PUM for being cooperative with the DOH in strictly following the protocols,” she said.
The region has 18 reported PUIs with 16 discharged from hospital after testing negative for the virus and two still confined in a referral hospital.
Sabalberino said local government units and other concerned agencies have been supportive of the intensified surveillance, assuring that all necessary technical assistance would be provided to them.
Aside from enhanced surveillance, the health department has also intensified its communication and information dissemination through lectures in government offices, schools, and establishment.
“We are doing this for them to have a better understanding of the Covid-19 in order to avoid confusion, misinformation, and panic among the people,” said John Paul Roca, DOH-8 regional information officer.
The DOH remains alert to prevent the spread of the virus, improving its coronavirus laboratory testing capacity, hospital preparedness, rapid response, and border and community surveillance. (PNA)
