The foreign national who earlier tested positive of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-Corona Virus (MERS-CoV) is now free of the virus, according to the Department of Health.
Dr. Lyndon Lee Suy, DOH spokesperson, in a press briefing, said two laboratory tests on the 36-year-old foreigner yielded negative results. He added that the patient is set to be discharged from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) over the weekend.
However, Lee Suy said the DOH cannot yet declare the country MERS-CoV-free as the 32-year-old female close contact of the foreigner still has to complete the 14-day quarantine period.
“The foreigner’s female companion is still under observation for possible MERS-CoV infection. Although she already tested negative from MERS-CoV, the patient will remain in the hospital until she completes the 14-day quarantine period that will end on July 18,” Lee Suy explained.
He added that until now, the Filipina companion of the foreigner from Middle East has not manifested any symptoms of the infection.
It can be recalled that the foreigner came from Dubai late last month and had a short layover in Saudi Arabia, where MERS was first identified in April 2012.
The patient also traveled to an undisclosed country during the 14-day incubation period since he arrived from the Middle East last month.
The foreigner developed fever and cough on the 12th day of the incubation period, and sought medical attention at an undisclosed private hospital. He was transferred immediately to the RITM when tests yielded positive for MERS.
It was the second case of MERS-CoV since February when a Filipina nurse already tested positive for MERs-CoV after returning from the Middle East.
The DOH also disclosed that it has already traced the 112 other “contacts” of the foreigner who were possibly exposed to the virus.
“They are now being monitored daily by experts from the Regional Epidemiological Surveillance Unit (RESU) until they complete the 14-day observation period,” Lee Suy said.