UP Diliman patient being monitored for new coronavirus

MANILA, Philippines — A member of the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman community is being monitored for the 2019 coronavirus disease or COVID-19, the university’s chancellor said Tuesday.

“It has been reported that a UP constituent nursing a high fever was screened yesterday at the University Health Service (UHS) holding area and has since been sent to another hospital for testing,” UP Diliman Chancellor Fidel Nemenzo said in a statement, noting that the person under investigation is isolated from patients in UHS.

Nemenzo also said that the holding area at the university’s health service was already disinfected.

The university chancellor added that they created a COVID-19 Task Force which implements protocols and mechanisms to combat the threat of coronavirus disease in the UP community.

Below are UP’s necessary health protocols:

1. Official travel, whether local or international, will be prohibited indefinitely. Those who intend to go on personal travel are strongly urged to reconsider their plans; if they proceed, they should report their travel plans to their unit head. All members of the community returning from travel overseas will be required to self-quarantine for fourteen days.

2. All big events on campus will be called off, until further notice.

3. We are moving towards online platforms in place of conventional classroom delivery. The Office of the Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs, in coordination with the Deans, will soon be communicating the instructions to all faculty and students.

4. We remind the community that the most effective way of containing the spread of COVID-19 is social distancing, proper hygiene, and behavioral etiquette. Please expect the details of these guidelines later today.

The university has canceled classes and work from March 10 to 14 after President Rodrigo Duterte ordered class suspension in National Capital Region to contain the spread of COVID-19.

“We have also suspended work as part of social distancing as recommended by DOH but all offices are maintaining a skeletal force to ensure that essential services are continued,” Nemenzo said.

Currently, the coronavirus disease has infected 33 people in the Philippines as of Tuesday, of which one has died.

The International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses named the new coronavirus as SARS-CoV-2.

EDV