DOH probes 11 patients for suspected novel coronavirus

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has 11 patients under investigation (PUIs) for suspected novel coronavirus cases, the Department of Health said Monday.

In a press briefing in Malacañang, Health Secretary Francisco Duque said all of the PUIs are foreigners from Metro Manila (2), Mimaropa (1), Northern Mindanao (1), Western Visayas (1), Eastern Visayas (1), and Central Visayas (3).

Duque, however, stressed that there is no confirmed case of the novel coronavirus yet in the Philippines.

He also noted that the patients are already “isolated,” while some of them have already been discharged. It is still unclear as of posting time how many of the 11 patients have been discharged.

The coronavirus outbreak has caused global alarm as it already claimed the lives of 80 people in China with over 2,700 confirmed cases.

The Chinese government has already locked down Hubei province, where the pathogen originated, to slow its transmission.

Duque also said that they will meet with the officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs to discuss, among others, if the government will order the evacuation of Filipinos in Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the outbreak.