5 ‘being probed’, 4 ‘being watched’ for nCoV in Quezon

LUCENA CITY –– Another suspected carrier of the novel coronavirus (nCoV) was recorded in Quezon province, bringing the total number of “persons under investigation” (PUI) in the province to five, authorities said Friday.

Dr. Grace Santiago, Quezon health officer, in a statement, said the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) has also recorded four “persons under monitoring” (PUMs).

But she stressed that as of 9 a.m. of Feb. 7, “Quezon remains negative for 2019-nCoV cases.”

Santiago said PUIs were those who traveled to mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau “in the past 14 days,” who have consulted doctors due to coughs, cold, or fever.

Santiago said PUMs are those who also have a history of recent travel to the said places for the specified period “but without any respiratory symptoms and were advised home quarantine.”

The five PUIs in the province were being attended to by the Department of Health (DOH) and IPHO medical staff.

The test specimens of these PUIs have been collected and were sent to the national reference laboratory. “We are awaiting results,” she said.

Meanwhile, Lucena Mayor Roderick Alcala has ordered the City Health Office to keep track of possible nCoV patients in the city, according to Arnel Avila, Lucena public information officer.

Avila said Dr. Joyce Chua, CHO head, posted three hotline numbers – 0943 022 6204, 0920 957 1422, and 0932 487 0565 – in strategic areas in the city like shopping malls, banks, schools, and hospitals to solicit public support./lzb