The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country has now reached 52 as the Department of Health (DOH) reported Thursday three additional positive cases.
The health department has also confirmed the death of another COVID-19 patient (case number 35) who is a 67-year-old female and had no travel history in other countries.
The patient has experienced symptoms on February 29 and was admitted last March 5 at the Manila Doctors’ Hospital. She was swabbed for testing on March 8, tested positive on March 11 and passed away on the same day due to severe pneumonia.
The patient had existing medical conditions such as hypertension and diabetes mellitus.
The DOH said three patients are currently in critical condition, including the 82-year-old female who had exposure to case number 9 or her husband.
“PH29, a known contact of PH9, is intubated and has underlying cardiovascular and endocrine conditions,” DOH ASec. Maria Rosario Vergeire said.
Some of the cases are relatives who were exposed to each other and are all residents of Marikina.
“Magkakamag-anak sila eh, sa Marikina (They are all related, those in Marikina). So sila ‘yung nandoon ngayon sa isang area doon sa ating local government na binabantayan sa ngayon dito sa ating referral hospital (They are in one area in our local government and are currently being monitored in our referral hospital),” Vergeire said.
The DOH Region 10 has confirmed the first COVID-19 case in northern Mindanao, who had no travel history abroad, but has gone to Pasic City where he allegedly got the virus.
Meanwhile, amid some reports in social media from LGUs on COVID-19 cases in their areas, the DOH clarified that they are already included in the list provided by the agency.
“The Department of Health would be the one to do it first, have its presscon. Nandiyan po ‘yan sa polisiya natin para ideklara ang mga numero ng mga nagpopositibong kaso (It’s in our policy to declare the positive cases first). Pagkatapos po noon, ishineshare po natin sa lahat ng LGUs concerned ‘yung ating press release at yung ating mga datos para po pareho po yung ating mga datos na inirereport sa ating sambayanan. Afterwards, we share the press release and the details to all concerned LGUs to ensure that we disclose the same information to the public,” Vergeire said. – Report from Mark Fetalco
