Health office debunks COVID-19 deaths

By Felipe V. Celino

ROXAS CITY, Capiz– There is no truth that five persons died in the province of Capiz because of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

The Provincial Health Office (PHO) issued the statement to deny reports that three more Persons Under Investigation (PUIs) died of the disease.

A PUI is a person who has signs and symptoms, has travel history to infected areas and may have been exposed to positive cases.

PHO spokesperson Ayr Altavas said 38 PUIs underwent hospital quarantine and their specimens were extracted for testing.

Altavas said 24 tested negative while one was positive and is presently under medication at the Western Visayas Medical Center in Iloilo City.

As to Patient No. 14 who is a PUI, the person died because of congestive heart failure and not coronavirus disease.

Patient No. 18 was also negative for COVID-19.

Altavas added that the office is still waiting for the results of the specimen from three PUIs which were brought to Iloilo City for tests.

The three PUIs who allegedly died were Patients No. 30, a 65-year-old man with no history of travel; No. 32, a 60-year-old woman with history of travel to Pasay City; and No. 35, a 47-year-old man with no history of travel.