MANILA – The number of reported people infected with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the country has increased overnight from 10 to 24.
President Rodrigo Duterte announced four new cases of coronavirus infections on Monday night after he convened the officials of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, resource persons from different government and private offices, and local government officials in Malacañang.
The Department of Health (DOH) earlier recorded 10 additional COVID-19 cases, all Filipinos, with ages ranging between 24 to 72.
DOH Assistant Secretary Ma. Rosario Vergeire, the sudden increase was due to DOH’s “intensified surveillance” on suspected cases of the disease.
Vergeire said the 10 new cases were from the results of the testing conducted on samples collected from March 6 to 8 and released on early Monday. Authorities are now conducting contact tracing.
“Rest assured that the Department of Health (DOH) is maximizing all channels… to immediately identify and isolate, if needed, those who had contact with confirmed cases,” Vergeire said.
On Sunday evening, Health Secretary Francisco Duque announced four cases of COVID-19–two from Pasig City, one from Marikina City and another one from Quezon City.
“DOH is currently investigating all the cases and gathering patients’ information from respective hospitals,” Duque said. “DOH is also currently in coordination with concerned Local Government Units and the Centers for Health Development for localized response and implementation of infection prevention and control measures.”
The seventh case of COVID-19 was a 38-year-old Taiwanese male who has a history of contact with a Taiwanese foreign national who visited the country and tested positive for COVID-19 in Taiwan. He is currently admitted at the Makati Medical Center.
The eighth case, meanwhile, was a 32-year-old Filipino male with history of travel to Japan within the past 14 days. Onset of symptoms began on March 5 and the patient is currently admitted at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Taguig City.
While the ninth case was an 86-year-old American male in Marikina City with pre-existing hypertension and history of travel to Unite States and South Korea. Symptoms began March 1 and the patient is currently admitted at Medical City in Ortigas.
The 10th case was a 57-year-old Filipino male with no history of travel outside of the country. He was reported to have had contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case but DOH is currently investigating details of his exposure. The patient is currently admitted St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City.
“The DOH is committed to accurate and timely reporting of verified information on the COVID-19 health situation. We have been preparing for the possibility of localized transmission in the country,” Duque said.
Meanwhile, Albay Rep. Joey Salceda proposed a one week lockdown of the National Capital Region (NCR) to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease or COVID-19.
Salceda, chairman of the House committee on ways and means, made the call after local governments in Quezon City, Marikina and Pasig reported cases of COVID-19.
“Everyone is a suspect now, thus, the need for isolation shock,” Salceda told reporters.
President Rodrigo Duterte earlier issued a proclamation formally declaring a state of public health emergency in the Philippines after the first known local transmission of COVID-19.
Duterte signed Proclamation 922 to “capacitate government agencies and LGUs (local government units) to immediately act to prevent loss of life, utilize appropriate resources to implement urgent and critical measures to contain or prevent the spread of Covid-19, mitigate its effects and impact to the community, and prevent serious disruption of the functioning of the government and the community.”
The proclamation also facilitates the implementation of mandatory reporting, intensify government response and measures, and enforce quarantine and disease control prevention measures.
Under the said proclamation, all government agencies and LGUs are tasked to give full assistance and cooperation and mobilize the necessary resources to undertake critical, urgent and appropriate response and measures in a timely manner to curtail and eliminate the COVID-19 threat.
Duque said they may seek the help of the Philippine National Police and other law enforcement agencies to provide assistance in addressing the COVID-19.
All citizens, residents, tourists, and establishment owners are also urged to comply with these directives to prevent the transmission of COVID-19, stated the proclamation, which will remain in force and effect until lifted by the Chief Executive.
DOH has placed the country under COVID-19 Alert System to Code Red sublevel 1 to prepare national and local governments and the country’s health care providers for possible increases in suspected and confirmed cases of the disease./PN
