Mindoro toddler, youngest COVID-19 patient recovering, says gov

MANILA, Philippines — The country’s youngest coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patient and the lone individual who tested positive for the viral infection in Oriental Mindoro is now on the road to recovery,  Oriental Mindoro Governor Humerlito Dolor announced.

Dolor said he received the good news from the doctor of the patient, a one-year and nine-month old girl, who was admitted at a private hospital in Calapan City.

“Last day of medication. No more signs of pneumonia. Both companions are asymptomatic. No cough and fever,” he posted on his social media account on Wednesday, quoting the toddler’s physician.

READ: 1 year-old is first COVID-19 patient in Oriental Mindoro

In a separate post on March 31, Dolor said that the patient is no longer on intravenous fluids and receiving oral medications.

He said the patient may be discharged from the hospital on Thursday or early Friday.

Dolor said the number of patients under investigation (PUIs) and persons under monitoring (PUMs) in Oriental Mindoro has been decreasing 18 days since the province placed itself under voluntary community quarantine.

He said that from 58 PUIs on Tuesday, it decreased to 52 on Wednesday, while the number of PUMs dropped from 422 to 378.

Data from the Department of Health (DOH) as of Wednesday afternoon showed there are two other other COVID-19 cases in the Mimaropa region: one each in Torrijos, Marinduque and in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.

Nationwide, the total number of cases of infection has so far reached 2,311, with a death toll of 96,  while 50 have recovered.

COVID-19, which was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO), is caused by a coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2.

The virus is related to that which causes Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome but is not as deadly, with only around three-percent mortality rate.

It was first detected in Wuhan, China in late 2019.

WHO said 80 percent of patients experience mild illness and eventually recover from the disease, while some 14 percent experience severe illness and five percent were critically ill.

The illness may be fatal for the elderly, the immunocompromised, and those with underlying medical conditions.

Among the symptoms of a COVID-19 infection are fever, fatigue and dry cough. Some patients may also experience aches or pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhea.

The virus is spread through droplets from the nose or mouth when those infected coughs or sneezes.

Health authorities are urging the public to practice frequent hand washing, cover their mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, and avoid close contact with those exhibiting respiratory symptoms to prevent infection.

GSG