Dr. Jaime Bernadas, Department of Health in Central Visayas director, confirms the increase in the number of patients under investigation of 2019 novel coronavirus from 4 to 15. | CDN Digital file photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The number of patients under investigation (PUIs) for the 2019 novel coronavirus acute respiratory disease (2019 n-CoV ARD) in Central Visayas have increased from 4 as reported on January 31, 2020 to 15.
The Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH-7) confirmed this during a press briefing on Monday, February 3.
Dr. Jaime Bernadas, DOH-7 director, said that 15 PUIs would include those, who had come in contact with the Chinese patients who tested positive of the 2019 n-CoV ARD.
Bernadas said that 11 of the PUIs in the region were confined in Cebu, three were in Negros Oriental and one was in Bohol.
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Bernadas attributed the increase of the number of PUIs in Central Visayas to updates in the case definition of PUI and the ongoing contact tracing.
“PUIs (now) mean people who are manifesting signs of the disease, have travel history to China — not just in Hubei province, and were in contact with those who are showing symptoms,” he said.
The DOH-7 official, however, refused to divulge further details but added that the 15 PUIs included Filipinos.
“These include those who were identified during the contact tracing, but we will not reveal further details,” he said.
He also described the 15 PUIs as mostly foreigners.
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Bernadas said all PUIs in Cebu are confined at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC).
Contact tracing is still ongoing for the passengers, who boarded the same planes with the two Chinese tourists from Wuhan City who tested positive for 2019 n-CoV.
Read more: A Chinese national, the second confirmed coronavirus case in PH, dies; the first death outside China
The patients, a 38-year-old female and a 44-year-old male, came from Wuhan City — the epicenter of the 2019-nCoV.
They were both admitted to San Lazaro Hospital last January 25 or four days after arriving in the country at the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) on January 21 on board a direct flight from Hong Kong.
The 44-year-old, however, died last February 1, becoming the first 2019 n-CoV-related death outside of China. /dbs