This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus causes COVID-19. The sample was isolated from a patient in the U.S. Dozens of research groups around the world are racing to create a vaccine as COVID-19 cases continue to grow. (NIAID-RML via AP)
MANILA, Philippines — A fourth case of the coronavirus disease has been detected in Quezon City, Mayor Joy Belmonte disclosed late Wednesday afternoon.
“May isa pong bagong kaso sa amin, so apat na po ito, at ayon sa limitadong impormasyon na ibinigay po sa akin ay isa pong doctor ito,” the mayor said in an interview over radio station DZRH.
(We have a new case, so now it’s four, and according to the limited information given to me the patient is a doctor.)
She also said the doctor works at a private hospital.
Belmonte added that upon receiving the information from the Department of Health (DOH), she sent local health officials to the patient’s house to do contact tracing on the family.
“Yung ika-apat, sa aking pag-tingin, sa aking pag-unawa, parang nahawa siya sa paga-alaga din ng mga pasyente, ‘yun ang nakikita ko,” she said.
(The fourth case, based on my understanding, seemed to have gotten the disease from taking care of another patient, that’s how I see it.)
“Kaya parang nakakalungkot naman para sa akin na ang ating mga health workers po ay naapektuhan na ng sakit na ito at nababawasan na ‘yung mga naga-aalaga sa may sakit,” she expressed.
(That’s why it’s sad for me that our health workers are already getting affected by this illness and people taking care of sick people are decreasing.)
After Belmonte’s revelation, DOH announced in a press briefing the additional 16 confirmed COVID-19 patients in the country. This latest tally increased the total number of infected patients in the Philippines to 49.
The novel coronavirus, or SARS-CoV-2, epidemic started in the city of Wuhan in Hubei province, China, in late 2019.
It causes a respiratory disease named COVID-19, which symptoms include fever and cough for most people and possibly worse for older adults with pre-existing health conditions. Some patients have been cured but others contract pneumonia, which could lead to death.