DOH-7 still tracing persons that 60-year-old nCoV-positive Chinese encountered in Cebu, Bohol

The Department of Health in Central Visayas is now conducting a contract tracing on the third confirmed case of the 2019 novel coronavirus in the country. (Rosalie Abatayo)

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The 60-year-old Chinese woman, identified as the third confirmed case of the 2019 novel coronavirus in the country, arrived at the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) on January 20, 2020.

She landed at the airport aboard Cebu Pacific flight 5J241, along with four companions, from Wuhan City, China via Hong Kong.

But the Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH-7) is still tracing the itinerary of the tourists as they headed to Pier 1 in Cebu City where they boarded a fast craft bound for Tagbilaran City, Bohol.

“They were at the airport going directly to the fast craft [in Cebu City bound for Tagbilaran.] That [other activities and modes of transportation availed] are the details that we are working on now,”said Dr. Jaime Bernadas, regional director of the DOH-7 in a press briefing this afternoon, February 5, 2020.

DOH-7 held the briefing shortly after the Central Office confirmed the third case of 2019-nCoV Acute Respiratory Disease in the country.

“Naa na tay detlaye nakuha, the details on their whereabouts are already being recorded and contact traced for now. Our partners in Bohol are doing that now and our RESU (Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit) is also working closely with our partners, including the police, in tracing the passengers that went with the passengers in coming to Cebu,” Bernadas said.

With 16 days that have elapsed since the tourists’ arrival in the country, Bernadas said that those who may have had contact with her and contracted the virus could have already shown symptoms by now.

Bernadas urged the public to consult the health units near them if they manifest flu-like symptoms in order for them to be properly tested.

The DOH Central Office earlier reported that the patient stayed inside her hotel room upon her arrival in Bohol due to fever and colds.

On January 22, the patient consulted a private hospital in Bohol where she was eventually confined until Jan. 31 due to the flu-life symptoms.

Bernadas confirmed that multiple samples were taken from the patient between Jan. 23 and 24. However, only the sample that was taken on Jan. 24 was sent to Australia for confirmatory testing following the laboratory’s protocol of using the latest sample.

The same sample was also sent to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) which only started to run the test late last week.

The results from both tests turned out negative, prompting the hospital to clear and discharge the patient on Jan. 31. The patient, by the time, was already asymptomatic or did not manifest any symptoms.

The patient, Bernadas said, already returned to China on the same day.

Bernadas explained that when the RITM gained the capability of running the test, they tested the other samples of the PUIs, including that of the 60-year-old woman.

The Jan. 23 samples tested positive according to the results of the laboratory test of the RITM that was released on February 3.

Bernadas explained that this meant the Chinese woman had the virus but have already recovered by Jan. 24.

Bernadas said this development narrowed their contact tracing to the people that the Chinese woman encountered since her arrival on Jan. 20 until Jan. 23.

Meanwhile, the DOH’s contact tracing on the first two cases of the 2019-nCoV has already identified 203 people. Of the number, 188 are under home quarantine and are asymptomatic. The 14 others are currently admitted to hospitals as they are showing symptoms while the other one is still being assessed for hospital admission. /rcg