FILE PHOTO: A computer image created by Nexu Science Communication together with Trinity College in Dublin, shows a model structurally representative of a betacoronavirus which is the type of virus linked to COVID-19 better known as the coronavirus linked to the Wuhan outbreak. NEXU Science Communication/via REUTERS
LUCENA CITY, Philippines – Another confirmed coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patient died in Quezon province while six other individuals passed away before they knew for sure if they were infected.
In its 5 p.m. report on Wednesday, the Quezon public information office (QPIO) said the validated coronavirus patient died in Mauban town on Tuesday.
The death of the six others indicated a rise of the death toll among suspected virus carriers to 122, from 116 on Tuesday.
No details on the fatalities were given or even the cause of the demise of the six suspected virus carriers.
According to the Department of Health (DOH) protocol, a person is considered a suspected carrier if he or she shows symptoms like fever, cough or sore throat two weeks after contact with an infected person or persons or had come from an infected place.
Those with symptoms who belong to what is considered as a vulnerable segment of the population — elderly, those with preexisting health conditions, pregnant women, and health care workers — are also considered as coronavirus suspects.
The list of 122 “suspects” who died covered only the period from April 14 to September 23.
From March 15 to April 13, the IPHO record showed 44 deaths under the “person under investigation” (PUI) classification, which was replaced by the “suspect” category in the DOH reclassification.
At least 379 suspected virus carriers are still confined in different hospitals and treatment facilities and 435 are still under quarantine in isolation facilities or houses of the patients.
Quezon province, which is under modified general community quarantine, recorded 1,711 COVID-19 cases with the addition of 28 new confirmed virus carriers as of Wednesday afternoon.
At least 626 of the cases were only recorded from September 1 to 23 showing the continuous surge of virus cases during the most relaxed quarantine status.
From the current total of 58 COVID-19 mortalities in the province, about 20 of the fatalities were also recorded during the same period.
The province also logged 1,280 recoveries while at least 373 active virus carriers remain in different medical or isolation facilities in the province.