40 Quezon City residents now positive for COVID-19

MANILA, Philippines — A total of 40 residents in Quezon City have tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19, as of Friday afternoon.

Two patients have already died while five were able to recover also as of 5:30 p.m. March 20, the city government announced.

Among the confirmed cases were seven doctors, but the city government did not specify where the doctors are working.

It also did not specify whether the 40 confirmed COVID-19 cases were already included in the latest tally of Department of Health (DOH), which said the Philippines has already 230 cases of the illness, including 18 deaths, and eight recoveries.

Mayor Joy Belmonte earlier declared a state of calamity in Quezon City amid the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the locality. President Rodrigo Duterte has likewise placed the whole country under a state of calamity as the World Health Organization has declared COVID-19 a pandemic.

The entire Luzon still remains under enhanced community quarantine and will remain so until 12 a.m. of April 13.

COVID-19 has already infected more than 244,500 people and killed more than 10,000, mostly in China, Italy, and Iran. On the other hand, 86,000 people have recovered so far, mostly in China, from the disease.

People who have COVID-19 could recover since for most people, its symptoms were mild like fever and cough. But the illness could also be worse or serious for others and possibly lead to pneumonia, especially for older adults and those with existing health problems.

The United Nations has warned that the crisis could lead to the loss of nearly 25 million jobs around the world.

KGA