LUCENA CITY –– The number of suspected carriers of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Quezon province continued to rise, local health authorities disclosed.
As of 5 p.m. on Monday, the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) recorded 28 patients under investigation (PUI) in Quezon, an increase from Sunday’s record of 21.
At least 12 of the PUIs were confined in undisclosed hospitals, while seven opted for home quarantine, and one has been transferred to a place not mentioned in the report.
The seven PUIs recorded last month have tested negative for the virus.
The lone confirmed case of COVID-19 in Quezon, a 35-year-old male who is a native of this city, has been confined in an undisclosed health facility “with stable vital signs and asymptomatic,” the IPHO said in the report.
Dr. Grace Santiago, Quezon health officer, said they have finished tracing the close contacts of the confirmed case and were mandated to submit to the strict 14-day home quarantine, including his immediate family.
The first recorded possible casualty of the virus in the province, a native of Sariaya town, had been cremated, according to town Vice Mayor Alex Tolentino.
“His immediate family was placed under strict home quarantine,” Tolentino told the Inquirer.
Santiago said the laboratory test result of the casualty had yet to be known, so he was still counted as a PUI.
“But we acted proactively. We already did the contact tracing while waiting for the laboratory test result,” she added.
Once the test result showed positive of the virus, the casualty will be officially listed as the first COVID-19 victim in Quezon.
The casualty reportedly died from severe pneumonia, according to the IPHO.
As of Monday, the IPHO recorded a total of 6,504 persons under monitoring (PUM).
At least 6,403 PUMs were still under the 14-day home quarantine and were being closely monitored by local health workers.
The 101 PUMs have completed the mandatory 14-day home quarantine and remained healthy, the record showed.