DOH: Person in ‘close contact’ with nCoV infected Chinese couple refused hospital isolation

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) said Wednesday that it has sought the help of the local government unit (LGU) and Philippine National Police (PNP) after an individual who had close contact with the Chinese couple found positive for novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) has refused hospital confinement.

“Yung isa initially, nagrefuse. Nagre-refuse magpa-admit so nagpapatulong na kami sa LGU at police,” Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo disclosed in a press conference.

(There was one who initially refused. The person was refusing to get admitted [to the hospital] so we already asked the LGU and the police for help.)

Results of DOH’s contact tracing have so far increased from eight people to 15, according to authorities. Domingo said 14 of them who are experiencing cough, colds, and flu were already isolated in hospitals.  Contact tracing was being conducted to locate all individuals who had close interaction with the Chinese couple.

“The DOH Epidemiology Bureau has assessed 203 contacts and home quarantined 188 contacts from the first and second confirmed cases. Of the 203 contacts, 15 are symptomatic where 14 were already isolated for monitoring,” Domingo explained.

Domingo said the health department is coordinating with LGUs, PNP, and other concerned authorities to boost their contact tracing effort.

To recall, a Chinese couple has been tagged as the first and second confirmed cases of 2019-nCoV in the Philippines. The 38-year-old woman was the first to be diagnosed, followed by her 44-year-old partner. Both came from the epicenter of the novel coronavirus outbreak –  Wuhan City in Hubei province of China.

The Chinese woman is still in isolation at the San Lazaro Hospital in Manila as of Wednesday while the man died on February 1 due to severe pneumonia. The 2019-nCov could lead to acute respiratory disease. He was tagged as the first 2019-nCoV death in the Philippines and outside China.

DOH on Wednesday likewise confirmed the Philippines’ third 2019-nCoV case: a 60-year-old Chinese tourist also from Wuhan.

Domingo then appealed to the Chinese couple’s fellow airplane passengers to coordinate with DOH.

Here are the details of the flights taken by the three Chinese found positive for novel coronavirus:

• Cebu Pacific flight 5J241 from Hong Kong to Cebu on January 20 and 21, 2020;
• Cebu Pacific flight DG6519 from Cebu to Dumaguete on January 21, 2020;
• Philippine Airlines flight PR2542 from Dumaguete to Manila on January 25, 2020

Domingo urged passengers who took the above-mentioned flights to consult their nearest DOH regional offices for stricter monitoring and assessment.

Edited by KGA