Woman who relied on ‘tuob’ died of COVID-19 , says doc

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Misamis Oriental, Philippines — A woman who relied on “tuob,” or steam inhalation therapy for relief from symptoms akin to the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) died of the disease early this month, according to a government physician.

Dr. Bernard Rocha, liaison officer of the Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC), the biggest tertiary government hospital in the region, told local reporters that he was openly discussing this case to dissuade the public from resorting to therapies that had not been scientifically proven.

“[Steam inhalation] will not cure it, it will not even prevent it, especially if you have complications,” Rocha said.

He was referring to a 34-year-old female vendor in the city’s public market of Barangay Carmen who died of COVID-19 on June 7.

Too lateRocha’s revelation came in the wake of separate warnings from the Department of Health and medical organizations in Cebu to the public not to consider tuob as a cure for COVID-19 infection.

Rocha said that although the vendor showed symptoms for COVID-19, she kept it to herself and was content with getting temporary relief provided by tuob.

Soon, she complained of abdominal pain, vomiting, fever and shortness of breath, and was brought to the NMMC on June 7. But she was already “very ill” and died nine minutes after arriving at the hospital, Rocha said.

The practice of tuob became controversial after it was endorsed by Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia as a treatment for COVID-19.