2 Covid-19 patients in Magalang recover

has no remaining active cases after Patient M1 of Barangay San Francisco and Patient M2 of Santa Lucia Resettlement Center were already healed.

Pecson also disclosed that the person under investigation (PUI) from Barangay San Isidro, who died at a district hospital in the town, tested negative of the virus.

The Municipal Health Office is closely monitoring a COVID 19 suspect in Barangay Dolores. "Sa kasalukuyan, mayroon tayong isang PUI/ suspect case sa Barangay

Dolores at hinihintay at hinihintay pa ang swag test result nito galing DOH." The town has 51 current persons under monitoring as yesterday.

The municipality has recorded three confirmed cases of COVID 19 with one death.

Tobacco weakens the respiratory system and destroys some of the lung's natural defense mechanisms making smokers more vulnerable to contagious di seases.

According to WHO, smokers are likely to be more vulnerable to COVID-19 as the act of smoking means that fingers (and possibly contaminated cigarettes) are in contact with lips which increases the possibility of transmission of virus from hand to mouth. Smokers may also already have lung disease or reduced lung capacity which would greatly increase risk of serious illness.

As explained by WHO, COVID-19 is an infectious disease that primarily attacks the lungs. Smoking impairs lung function making it harder for the body to fight off coronaviruses and other diseases. Tobacco is also a major risk factor for noncommunicable diseases like cardiovascular disease, cancer, respiratory disease and diabetes which put people with these conditions at higher risk for developing severe illness when affected by COVID-19.

Available research suggests that smokers are at higher risk of developing severe disease and death, the WHO said.

Based on information from WHO, tobacco kills more than 8 million people globally every year. More than 7 million of these deaths are from direct tobacco use and around 1.2 million are due to non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke. (PR)