A new Person Under Investigation (PUI) has been confined in a private hospital in the Province of Palawan, an official of Department of Health-Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD)-Mimaropa confirmed.
“Mayroon ho tayong isang…Patient Under Investigation na isang Pilipina na 45 years old…. Today, kinunan na siya ng throat swab, ipinadala natin [ngayon] sa RITM for confirmation,” DOH-CHD Mimaropa Regional Director Mario Baquilod said through a phone interview.
According to RD Baquilod, based on the information that he received, the patient has manifested a flu-like symptoms and after the conduct of assessment, observation and validation, the patient was categorized as PUI.
“Ito po yung ating pasyente, nakaramdam siya ng lagnat, pag-uubo, at sipon noon pang Feb. 28. So, siya’y nakonsulta ng isang public facility noong March 8. Ang pagkaalam ko, kaagad [siyang] kinonfine and then kahapon…na-validate ko nga [mula] sa ating local health workers, [na]-categorize na [siyang] PUI,” he added.
Dr. Baquilod disclosed that the new patient for possible Corona Virus Disease 2019 (Covid-19), who is currently working in an NGO, has no history of travel to China.
“Base ho sa mga datos, wala siyang travel history [to China]. Ang nakita naming [posibleng rason ay dahil] … ‘yung nature ng kanyang work ay nakikipag-usap [siya] sa mga foreigner, nakikipag-meeting, nakikipag-coordinate sa mga foreigner, and then sa mga tao, sa mga siyudad,” the Regional Director further said.
The DOH-CHD head refused to divulge the exact location of the PUI patient “for some reasons” but based on the Covid-19 tracker infographic of the Department, the patient is from the northern part of the Province of Palawan.
On the said infographic of the DOH regional office, there are 16 total PUIs in the City of Puerto Princesa and in the province, including the current PUI; the 15 others are already discharged for some time this year.
But Dr. Baquilod reiterates that a ‘Person Under Investigation’ means that the case is not yet a confirmed case of Covid-19.
“Ang PUI is Person Under Investigation. So, hindi pa ‘yan positibo. Dahil sa karamdaman ng ating pasyente, siya ay kinonfine at kinunan ng mga samples at ite-testing sa laboratory para [malaman] kung ano talaga ang cause ng kanyang pagkakasakit,” he explained.
Baquilod further added that the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) is expected to release the laboratory result after 24 to 48 Hours. Although he clarified that it may be delayed, depending on the number of samples from all over country submitted to the health research facility.
But the DOH-CHD Mimaropa assures the public that the government is doing efforts to address the current situation. He said that the Health Department has already announced a Public Health Emergency through Proclamation 922 signed by President Rodrigo Duterte yesterday, March 3. And apart from this, there are also equivalent efforts being done by the corresponding local government units, hospitals, other concerned agencies and the like.
The DOH once again reminds the public to always wash their hands for about 20 seconds, to avoid touching one’s own nose, mouth, and eyes; observe the proper etiquette when coughing and to self-isolate when afflicted by sickness.