Health Secretary Francisco Duque III (File photo)
MANILA – The Department of Health (DOH) reported on Friday two additional confirmed cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Co19) in the country, bringing the total of Covid-19 cases in the country to five.
In a press briefing at the DOH main office in Manila, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the 4th confirmed case is a 48-year-old male Filipino with travel history to Japan.
"The patient returned to the Philippines last February 25 and experienced chills and fever beginning March 3. The patient sought medical consultation at a hospital and samples were collected for testing," Duque said.
His results tested positive for Covid-19 on March 5 and he was admitted at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine with stable condition.
"The 5th confirmed case is a 62-year-old male Filipino with known hypertension and diabetes mellitus, who experienced cough with phlegm last February 25. The patient sought medical consultation at a hospital in Metro Manila last March 1 and was admitted with severe pneumonia," Duque said.
His specimen collected on March 4 tested positive for Covid-19 on March 5.
"He also has no known history of travel outside of the country. He is known to have regularly visited a Muslim prayer hall in Barangay Greenhills, San Juan City," Duque added.
Duque urged the previous visitors to the prayer hall with fever or respiratory symptoms are encouraged to call the DOH hotline (02)8-651-7800 loc. 1149-1150 for a proper referral to the appropriate health facility.
Duque said the absence of known travel history is a clear indication that a case is local.
"There is no transmission to speak of yet because we only have one, that's why we're doing contact tracing to establish if there are other cases or transfer of cases. It's still premature to say that we have local transmission," he added, noting that a community transmission happens when there is already more than one local case.
The DOH has started with the contact tracing for the two cases and samples have already been collected from close contacts.
"The DOH is in close coordination with the concerned Local Government Units for concerted action on identifying persons who had interaction with the confirmed cases and strengthening of infection prevention and control protocols," Duque said. (PNA)
