DOH-6: No confirmed deaths of PUIs in Western Visayas

By Emme Rose Santiagudo and Jennifer P. Rendon 

The Department of Health-Center for Health Development in Western Visayas (DOH-CHD 6) said there is no confirmed death of a patient under investigation (PUI) for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the region, they reiterated on Thursday.

Dr. Jessie Glen Alonsabe, regional epidemiologist of DOH-CHD 6, made the clarification following reports announced that a PUI expired in a hospital in Iloilo City.

“Kami na mismo gahambal na wala kita confirmed death sang PUI diri sa region. Ambot kon diin na sila gakuha sang ila nga report but we are emphasizing that wala ta PUI nga napatay,” he told Daily Guardian.

In a press conference on Thursday, Mayor Jerry Treñas stated that one PUI already died without undergoing confirmatory test for COVID-19.

“There are already 1,014 identified persons under monitoring (PUM) in Iloilo City with 27 PUIs. May isa na to nga napatay. While DOH say na negative siya but you know lain ang sitwasyon because we have no testing kits here,” Treñas said.

PUIs are persons with signs and symptoms of COVID-19 and travelled to infected areas either here or aroad.

The mayor said in one of his radio interviews that a 57-year-old PUI in Iloilo province admitted to a city hospital passed away.

“The PUI has no travel history abroad. The authorities weren’t able to get a specimen from the patient and so we will never know if that PUI is positive or negative for Covid-19,” Treñas said in an interview with a local radio station.

But, Alonsabe clarified that patient from the town of Ajuy was not classified as a PUI and in fact died of cardiac arrest.

“We have the death certificate and the patient died because of cardiac arrest. The patient has no respiratory problem or severe acute respiratory infection. Gina-insist gid nila nga PUI pero layo-layo gid kay tigulang na ni ang pasyente,” he stressed.

Even Mayor Jett Rojas of Ajuy also maintained that his constituent was not a PUI.

“As far as I know, he’s not a PUI. He was hospitalized for a different ailment,” he said.

The man was suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a disease he might have acquired from consuming four packs of cigarettes a day, Rojas said.

There were reports that he sustained community acquired pneumonia.

“That person has no travel history even to Iloilo City, much more abroad,” Rojas said.

The man just stayed in Barrido, the village where he lived, before he was hospitalized.

He also had no known exposure to any person with COVID-19.

“That’s why we’re surprised of the report that he could have died of COVID-19,” the mayor said.

As of Thursday afternoon, Alonsabe said there are no confirmed cases in the region.

The health department has recorded 119 PUIs in the region, 49 of which yielded negative results for COVID-19, and 47 have been discharged from hospitals, according to Alonsabe.

“Indi tanan admitted,may iban na outpatient and ara lang sa ila balay nila because mild cases lang sila and indi na sila kinahanglan i-admit pa,” he said.

“We will inform the public if we receive reports na may ara na kita positive case because ano man bi ang interes namon nga tagu-on ang ina nga information,” he furthered.

As of March 18, persons under monitoring (PUMs) in the region or those persons who had travel history to places with confirmed local transmission but are asymptomatic totaled 18,662.

Meanwhile, Treñas announced that everyone with sore throat, colds, and flu-like symptoms should be presumed as COVID-19 positive and are advised to go home for self-quarantine.

“All with sore throats, colds, flu like symptoms should be presumed as COVID-19 positive especially in all your work places and should be asked to go home for self-quarantine. Please let everyone know especially those who are covered as essential businesses. Once you have more severe symptoms then that will be the time you seek medical assistance,” he said.