COVID-19 cases in Valenzuela City rise to 4

MANILA, Philippines — A 79-year-old male resident of Valenzuela City has tested positive of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), making him the city’s 4th confirmed case of the respiratory disease.

According to the Valenzuela City government, the patient has no travel history outside the country and experienced abdominal pain, chills, cough and fever.

He is currently admitted to a hospital outside Valenzuela City and diagnosed with pneumonia, the city government said.

JUST IN: As of March 27, 2020, we now have 4 positive cases of #COVID19 in Valenzuela City. pic.twitter.com/qZ61B2maWB

— Valenzuela City (@valenzuelacity) March 27, 2020

Valenzuela City’s Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (CESU) is closely monitoring the case and is already conducting contact tracing.

“All the patients in Valenzuela City are not related to each other, these are 4 isolated cases,” it added.

Valenzuela City residents – who are experiencing symptoms and have a travel history and/or exposure to a possible COVID-19 patient – are urged to call the city’s COVID-19 HOTLINE at 8352-5000.

Overall, the Philippines has 707 COVID-19 cases, 45 of whom have died while 28 recovered. The cases were confirmed in the course of 2,147 tests.

COVID-19, which was first detected in Hubei, China late last year, has infected more than 532,700 people worldwide and killed more than 24,050 as of March 27.