W. VISAYAS STILL COVID-19 FREE: 29 PUIs test negative, discharged from hospitals, DOH says

By Emme Rose Santiagudo and Felipe V. Celino

The 29 patients under investigation (PUI) in Western Visayas all tested negative for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COViD-2019), the Department of Health-Center for Health Development in Western Visayas (DOH CHD 6) reported on Friday.

According to DOH-CHD 6 Regional Director Marlyn Convocar, the 29 PUIs were discharged from hospitals in the region.

“The 29 PUIs tested negative for COVID-2019. In fact, waay na kita PUIs na bilin sa hospital kay na-discharged na sila,” she said in a phone interview on Friday.

 Convocar said they will still monitor the 29 PUIs in their homes despite their negative results for up to 14 days.

“Majority sa ila pagwa sang result tapos na ang 14 days incubation period pero kon indi pa tapos ginacontinue ta ang pag-monitor sa ila balay,” she said.

But on Thursday, three more additional PUIs were recorded in Capiz, bringing the total number of PUIs in the region to 32

The three PUIs included a female OFW from Hong Kong and two Filipinos who are U.S. Citizens who stopped over in Taiwan, according to regional epidemiologist Dr. Jessie Glenn Alonsabe.

According to Alonsabe, the three exhibited signs and symptoms of fever and cough.

“They are currently admitted in Roxas City, Capiz. So far, sila na lang ginabantay-bantayan naton because all the other 29 were already discharged from the hospitals following their negative results,” he said.

The Provincial Health Office (PHO) released Friday an official statement informing the public of the new PUIs who are now under quarantine in various hospitals here.

Dr. Samuel Delfin, Capiz provincial health officer, said the third PUI is a 40-year-old female Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) who arrived from Hong Kong on Feb 2, 2020.

On Feb 11, she manifested coughs and experienced fever the next day, prompting her to seek medical help.

The two other PUIs – a 64-year-old female and a 79-year-old male – are retirees from the United States who went on vacation here.

The two left the US on Jan 30, 2020, and had a layover in Taipei, Taiwan.

The two suffered cough on Feb 5 and 8. They sought medical consultation on Feb 12.

Swabs of the three PUIs will be sent to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) for testing.

Despite this, the health department reminded the public to not be complacent and be vigilant to do self-quarantine especially for those who had travel history from countries with confirmed cases of COVID-2019.

“Indi kita mangin complacent nga nagnubo. Kon may nag-alabot halin sa countries na may positive case, kinahanglan makadto sila sa health centers para maevaluate sila,” she noted.