15 new COVID-19 cases bring total to 202

MANILA, Philippines — Fifteen more individuals were confirmed to have contracted the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19), bringing the total to 202 as of noon Wednesday, the Department of Health (DOH) reported.

As of this writing, the DOH has not given details on the 15 new COVID-19 patients.

Meanwhile, three more patients were also reported to have recovered from the disease.

Among those who have recovered is a 24-year-old Filipino man from Makati (PH15) who has a travel history to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

He was admitted to a private hospital last March 7 and was discharged last Sunday, March 15, after testing negative twice for the virus.

A 34-year-old Filipino man from Camarines Sur (PH26), one of two Filipinos aboard the MV Princess Diamond cruise ship who tested positive for COVID-19 last March 10, has also recovered from the disease.

Another 34-year-old Filipino male from Quezon City (PH13) with a travel history from Australia was discharged last Sunday after recovering and testing negative twice for COVID-19.

He was admitted on March 6 and tested positive of the virus on March 9.

The World Health Organization declared the disease as a global pandemic after it killed nearly 5,000 people and infected 110,000 others worldwide.

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

The virus causes mild symptoms such as fever and cough for most people but can cause serious illness such as pneumonia for others, especially older adults and people with existing health problems.

Coronavirus is a family of viruses, which surfaces have a crown-like appearance. The viruses are named for the spikes on their surfaces.

Most people who have COVID-19 can recover as its symptoms are mild, such as fever and cough. But the illness can be more serious for others, possibly leading to pneumonia, especially the older adults and those with existing health problems.

EDV