The 45-year-old woman who was recently categorized as Person Under Investigation (PUI) was declared negative of Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) based on the laboratory test result from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM).
“Na-receive na natin ang official result from RITM which is negative,” Dr. Mario Baquilod, regional director of DOH-CHD Mimaropa, confirmed through a phone interview.
Dr. Baquilod said they received the result from RITM around 8:30 AM today, March 13.
“…[K]inuhaan ang pasyente ng oropharyngeal swab dito sa may throat area. Ang test ipinadala sa RITM basically to identify if the COVID-19 is present sa tao. So, iyon, negative naman sa virus itong ating PUI [1],” he added.
Eventhough the patient has no history of travel to China but because of the nature of her work, of which she is always dealing and communicating with different people, when she got a flu-like symptoms last Feb. 28, she was categorized as PUI after assessment by an attending doctor.
Last Mar. 9, a throat swab was done and samples were sent to RITM for confirmation. The result should be released after 24 to 48 hours but it arrived only today because according to DOH, this is because of the bulk of materials being sent to RITM from throughout the country.
“Like any other, masaya kami na wala tayong case ng COVID-19 kasi po, malaki ang magiging implikasyon kung may mag-positive kasi magsasagawa tayo ng contact tracing, lahat ng mga nakasalamuha niya. So, mahirap ‘yun. Naririnig natin, dito sa NCR, kapag may nag-positive, ang ginagawa ng ating Kagawaran ay nagsasagawa sila ng contact tracing, paghahanap ng mga tao na nakasalamuha nila. So, it is really a hard work for us,” Baquilod told PDN.
The Regional Health Department “appreciates” the action taken of the said Filipina in fighting the spread of the COVID-19.
“Upon admission noong March 3 I think, ang report that I received, wala na siyang fever,” he said when asked if how is the patient’s health status.
“Itong ating laboratory result, gagamitin din ito ng ating attending physician in attending the patient. Halimbawa…[‘pag] wala ng fever ang patient, maganda na ang kanyang condition, kumakain na siya nang maaayos], the patient can be discharged; or kung may iba pang other condition, it can also manage separately,” he explained.
In the advent of Corona Virus Disease 2019, any suspected individual who is possible to carry the virus is put right away to an isolation room upon admission.
As part of the preparedness of the Region, even the private hospitals can isolate a patient as long they have isolation rooms, capabilities when it comes to personnel, equipment, and proper personal protective equipment.
And amidst with the several misinformation circulated in social media, the Regional Director of the Department of Health-Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD)-Mimaropa corrected them and told the Mimaropans that “We are still COVID-19 free.”
“Wala pang COVID-19 not only Palawan but the whole of the region [of Mimaropa],” he said.
The DOH-CHD Mimaropa likewise assured the Palaweños that they have done already necessary measures and continue these in order to maintain Palawan as COVID-19 free province.
“At saka ang napakaimportante, mayroon kaming referral system para ready na ready na tayo para kung may nakita na [pasyente alam na] saan dadalhin, ‘yung mga system naandoon na ‘yan; [sa] transportation mayroon na [rin] ‘yan,” Baquilod further stated.
As of press time, the Health Department in Mimaropa Region still awaits for the result of PUI-2 and PUI-3 that have been classified also this month and are now admitted in a government hospital in the City of Puerto Princesa.