CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY –– The daughter of the first confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) patient in Mindanao is infected with the virus, health authorities said on Wednesday.
Dr. David Mendoza, Department of Health-10 chief epidemiologist, said the daughter of “Patient 40” (PH40) had been tested positive of the virus, bringing to five the number of COVID-19 cases in the region.
Mendoza said PH40’s daughter took care of her father at the Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC), where he died inside the isolation room on March 13.
The daughter, 27, has been undergoing quarantine at NMMC.
Her mother has also been quarantined with her at the NMMC, but her test results were negative for COVID-19.
PH40 came from Lanao del Sur before he moved to Pasig City at the height of the Marawi siege. He came back to Mindanao and first sought treatment at the Adventist Medical Center in Iligan City on Feb. 24 when he experienced the symptoms. On March 8, he was moved to the NMMC, where he was confirmed positive of the virus three days later. On March 13, he died.
Two more patients confined at NMMC have been confirmed positive of COVID-19. They include a 51-year-old woman from Marawi City, who was admitted to the hospital for cough; and a 71-year-old man from here, who was admitted to the hospital on March 26 for fever, chills, and cough, the DOH said.
The DOH said the 51-year old patient had a history of travel to Guangdong, China; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; and Metro Manila; while the 71-year old man went to Greenhills in San Juan City on March 7. He arrived in Mindanao on March 12, four days before he was admitted to the hospital.
Mendoza said the man had subjected himself to self-quarantine.
“The patient has pre-existing conditions of hypertension, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and chronic cardiac diseases,” he said.