DOH-7 expects number of PUIs in the region to decrease

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 number of patients under investigation (PUIs) in Central Visayas suspected of having the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to dwindle as the influx of returning Filipino passengers decreases.

As of February 17, the Department of Health (DOH) has recorded only two PUIs for the region — a significant decrease from February 14 wherein there were 35.

Dr. Jaime Bernadas, DOH in Central Visayas (DOH-7) director, said they were expecting the number of PUIs confined in different hospitals in the region to drop in the coming days.

However, he said they were continuously monitoring the remaining Persons Under Monitoring (PUMs) in the region.

Bernadas attributed this development to the fact that Filipino residents returning from mainland China, including its Special Administrative Regions (SARs) were getting lesser and lesser as the days progressed.

As of February 15, there are 171 PUIs admitted in hospitals nationwide.

Contact tracing

Meanwhile, DOH’s head office confirmed reports from their Epidemiology Bureau that 221 of the 280 contacts for the first and second cases of COVID-19 had already completed their 14-day home quarantine.

They said that 14 were still under home quarantine.

Of the 280, 45 were classified and admitted as PUIs. But, as of February 17, 31 of them have been discharged, 2 are still confined, 6 under strict monitoring, and 6 have left the country.

DOH also reported that they had traced 34 percent — or 255 out of the 740 contacts for the third case.

One hundred fifty five of them were placed under home quarantine while 17 more, who were initially categorized as PUIs, have been discharged. /dbs