6 in close contact with nCoV-positive Chinese couple show symptoms of infection

MANILA, Philippines — Six persons who took the same domestic flights with the Chinese couple who tested positive for the novel coronavirus acute respiratory disease (2019-nCoV) showed flu-like symptoms, the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) said.

The PNP-CIDG was tasked to track down the co-passengers of the Chinese couple when they flew from Cebu to Dumaguete on Jan. 21, and then from Dumaguete to Manila on Jan. 25.

READ: CIDG starts tracking close contacts of Chinese couple with nCoV

CIDG Deputy Director for Administration Col. Rhoderick Armamento said that as of 6 a.m. on Thursday, the PNP unit has made contact with a total 58 co-passengers of the Chinese couple on the two flights they have boarded. Of those tracked down by the CIDG,  23  were from the Cebu-Dumaguete flight and the rest were from the Dumaguete-Manila flight

The Cebu-Dumaguete flight had a total of 61 passengers while the Dumaguete-Manila flight had a total of 132 passengers.

Armamento said the six passengers who manifested flu-like symptoms have already been quarantined in different hospitals. The CIDG did not reveal the nationalities of the passengers.

“All passengers who have been contacted by the CIDG were advised to avoid unnecessary contact with people and stay at home as much as possible,” Armamento said in a press conference.

The Chinese couple, a 38-year-old woman and a 44-year-old man are from Wuhan City in China, where the 2019-nCoV is believed to have originated.

They arrived in the Philippines via Hong Kong last Jan. 21. Last Sunday, the Department of Health (DOH) reported the death of the Chinese man. The World Health Organisation (WHO) said this was the first reported case of a nCoV-related death outside China.

READ: DOH confirms 2nd case of nCoV in PH, says patient died Saturday