MANILA -- The Department of Health (DOH) reported on Monday 10 additional confirmed cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), bringing to 20 the total number of cases in the country.
"(This is) on top of the four new cases announced yesterday, March 8, 2020. All test results from the new cases were released today, after samples were collected last March 6, 7 and 8," Health Assistant Secretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a press conference at the DOH main office on Monday.
Vergeire said the DOH-Epidemiology Bureau (EB) is conducting comprehensive contact tracing activities for all the cases in coordination with concerned local government units (LGUs) and centers for health development for localized response and implementation of infection prevention and control measures.
"All cases reported yesterday are stable and still admitted at the Makati Medical Center - patient 7; St. Luke's Medical Center in Global City - patient 8; The Medical City in Ortigas - patient 9; and St. Luke's Medical Center in Quezon City - patient 10, respectively," she added.
The DOH has reported that patient 7 is a 38-year-old Taiwanese with no residence in the country while patient 9 is an 86-year-old American resident of Marikina City.
"As I have said, let us have that protocol where we say, we give media the hospitals where they are, their exact addresses and what their specific LGUs are doing for intervention at kami po ay nagkaroon na ng pag-uusap na matapos magdeklara ng DOH, maaari sila magkaroon ng kaniya-kaniyang (and we have agreed that after DOH's declaration, they can have their own) press conferences," Vergeire said.
As of 12:00 pm on Monday, the DOH-EB has identified a total of 468 contacts for patients 4 to 10. About 113 of them have been assessed, 107 have been interviewed and placed under home quarantine, and six have been categorized as persons under investigation and placed under isolation at various health facilities.
Vergeire advised individuals with history of known exposure to a positive patient or history of travel to areas with local transmission with mild symptoms such as fever, dry cough, fatigue, productive phlegm, sore throat and headache to self-isolate themselves and be home for 14-day quarantine.
"Ngayon, maraming nag-fa-flock sa mga health facilities para magpa-test. Hindi kailangan mabahala ng mga parang may trangkaso lang, with no Covid-19 symptoms plus travel history plus exposure to taong may Covid-19, i-monitor nalang ang sarili sa bahay (Now, many flock to different health facilities to be tested. Those who have fever, with no Covid-19 symptoms plus travel history plus exposure to a Covid-19 patient need not worry, just monitor yourself at home)," Vergerie said.
The DOH urged individuals with severe and critical symptoms to get in touch with the department and call the designated hotline at (02) 8-651-7800 local 1149-1150 for appropriate management and referral. (PNA)
