Over 5,000 monitored for suspected COVID-19 in Central Visayas

The Department of Health in Central Visayas is monitoring over 5,000 individuals suspected of having the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). | CDN Digital file

CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH-7) is monitoring over 5,000 individuals suspected of having the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

As of March 19, 2020, a total of 5,632 of persons under monitoring (PUMs) and patients under investigation (PUIs) was logged on the recent data from the agency’s surveillance unit.

Of these figures, 5,573 are classified as PUMs or individuals who are asymptomatic but either have recent travel history to areas affected by COVID-19, or have come in contact with symptomatic ones or PUIs.

There are 242 PUIs in Central Visayas.

Cebu Province has the most number of PUMs, at 3,127. It was followed by Negros Oriental at 1, 425, and Bohol at 536. The province island of Siquijor has 185 PUMs.

Lapu-Lapu City has the most number of PUMs among independent cities located in Cebu, with 139. Mandaue City has 96 while Cebu City has 43.

Dr. Jaime Bernadas, DOH-7 director, attributed the increasing number of people being monitored to their decision to go beyond the case definitions of PUMs and PUIs.

Before DOH – 7 implemented such guidelines, PUMs and PUIs refer to individuals who have travel history to countries covered by the Philippines’ travel ban.

These countries are the whole of China, and portions of South Korea.

PUIs are symptomatic and need to be admitted to health facilities while PUMs are asymptomatic and placed under self-isolation or home quarantine.

So far, there’s only one confirmed COVID-19 patient in Cebu – a 65 year-old male doctor admitted in a private hospital in Mandaue City.

Bernadas said the patient is now recovering. /bmjo