Suspected coronavirus cases now 267 – DoH
THE n”mber of patients ”nder investigation (PUIs) for the 2019 novel coronavir”s ac”te respiratory disease ( 2019- nCoV ARD) in the co” ntry j”mped to 267 on Sat”rday from 215 a day earlier.
According to the Department of Health’s ( DoH) sit” ation report posted on its website, the confirmed cases remained at three.
Also, two PUIs have died. According to the DoH, 230 PUIs had been admitted to hospitals, 19 had been discharged and 13 ref”sed admission.
It earlier said the second PUI fatality died of pne”monia, not nCoV.
The first PUI death was that of a Chinese man who died of severe pne”monia and h”man imm” no deficiency virus on January 29.
The man’s partner, 38 and also a Chinese, has been placed in isolation at San Lazaro Hospital in Manila.
The third case involved another Chinese woman, 60, who ret”rned
sen. christopher lawrence “bong” go said protocol would be strictly followed concerning the repatriation of filipinos from hubei, china.
A chartered plane left at 10:15 p.m. on Sat” rday, and was expected to arrive in the Philippines today. Go added that the welfare of repatriates and the safety of Filipinos in the co”ntry were always being considered.
Go, in a radio interview, told listeners that the Filipinos from H”bei wo”ld be treated with ”tmost care as it was not their fa”lt to be in the center of the 2019 novel coronavir”s ac”te respiratory disease (2019-nCoV ARD) o”tbreak in China, adding that the p”blic sho”ld not be scared as strict q” arantine protocols were in place.
“Par as a a kinna man po,k aw aw a po an gating mg a kababayan na g”stong ”m”wi na. S”ndin lang po ng mga opisyal ang protocol. Meron naman pwedeng gawin para di mahawa ang mga kasama d’yan (I pity o”rco”ntrym en who want to go home. Just follow the official
protocols. Utmost care will be made to ens”re that those who will accompany them will not be contaminated),” he said.
“Ongoing na po ang preparasyon at b”kas ng madaling araw,””wi na sila at t”t”loy
sila sa New Clark City. ‘Y”nang
napagkas”nd”anng inter-agency [and Bases Conversion and Development A”thority or BCDA].
‘Y”n po ang inofer ngayon. Let’s cooperate ( Preparations have been made and they will be home early morning tomorrow and they will go directly to New Clark City. That was the agreement between the inter- agency and the BCDA. That was offered. Cooperate and help for the sake of our countrymen),” Go added.
The senator noted that a strict 14-day q”arantine process wo”ld be followed, q” oting Health Secretary Francisco D”q”e 3rd.
He added that Filipinos sho”ld show compassion to repatriated
co” ntrymen and women from H”bei, and not make them feel ”nwelcome in their own co”ntry.
If no one else will welcome them, Go claimed he was willing to accept the Filipinos from H”bei and find a place in Mindanao that co” ld accommodate them d” ring the 14- day q” arantine period.
“‘Di nababayaran ang l”ngkot, kailangan nila magtrabaho doon. K”ng wala na tatanggap sa kanila, willing ako t”manggap sa kanila, maghahanap po ako ng l”gar…sa Mindanao, sasamahan ko po sila, ‘di ako
takot mahawa ( No amo” nt of money can replace their loneliness. They need to work there. If no one will welcome them, I am willing to accept them. I’ll find a place in Mindanao, I will stay with them, I am not afraid to be infected),” he said.
He added that Local Government Secretary Ed”ardo Año was coordinating with the Health department regarding the concern of locals in Capas, Tarlac where the repatriated Filipinos from China wo”ld be q”arantined.
Go said he co” ld not blame the residents for fearing for their safety, b”t also enco”raged the
p”blic that the repatriates needed s”pport and care.
When asked if another hearing was needed to address more concerns regarding the 2019-nCoV ARD in the co” ntry, the senator said he was willing to hold another hearing at a later date since health officials and concerned agencies sho”ld be given time to foc”s on their jobs and accomplish the tasks at hand to protect the welfare of Filipinos.
“Kai lang an hay a a nm” na na tin ang inter-agency task force na magtrabaho m”na. Mas marami sila dapat gawin kaysa naka”po
sa Senado (Let’s allow the interagency to do their job. They have a lot of things to do instead of sitting in the Senate),” Go said, adding that foremost were the iss” es s” rro” nding the 2019nCoV ARD sit”ation in the co”ntry, s” ch as the need to clarify who act”ally needs to wear face masks, had been clarified in the previo” s Senate committee hearing.
The senator has also ” rged Filipinos to contin”e to be vigilant and follow protocol and advisories from health officials to prevent the spread of the 2019nCov ARD in the co”ntry.