Dr. Jaime Bernadas, Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH-7) director, announces during a press briefing on January 31, 2020 that the 38-year-old female patient from Wuhan City, who tested positive of the 2019-nCoV, only stayed for three hours in Cebu. | Morexette Marie Erram
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The 38-year-old patient from Wuhan City, who tested positive of the 2019 novel coronavirus (n-CoV or Wuhan coronavirus) did not stay long in Cebu.
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Dr. Jaime Bernadas, Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH-7) director, said this during a press briefing on January 31, 2020 together with representatives of the Bureau of Quarantine in Central Visayas at the DOH-7 office in Cebu City.
Bernadas confirmed that the the Chinese woman and her boyfriend only stayed for three hours in Cebu and they were only at the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA).
“We belied reports that the patient and her companion spent a day in Cebu. They arrived at Terminal 2 then went directly to Terminal 1. They stayed at the airport then flew to Dumaguete City,” said Bernadas.
Bernadas also said the patient’s companion, her Chinese boyfriend, had been admitted in the same hospital where she had been confined — San Lazaro Hospital.
Contact tracing
Dr. Terence Anthony Bermejo, Bureau of Quarantine in Central Visayas (BOQ-7) director, said they were identifying the places where the Chinese tourists visited.
Bermejo also said they were also identifying the passengers on board the same plane with the patient.
“We cannot give as to how many we are tracing and identifying right now, but we are working on it,” he added.
The 38-year-old female, Chinese tourist came from Wuhan City via direct flight from Hong Kong to Cebu.
She and her companion arrived on January 21. She was admitted at San Lazaro Hospital on January 25 for having a mild cough.
DOH announced that she was the first confirmed case of the 2019-nCoV in the country on January 30 or five days after she was admitted to the hospital./dbs