Chinese man on nCoV watch dies in Manila

SLH patient had pneumonia, HIV

MANILA, Philippines — A 29-year-old Chinese man being monitored at the San Lazaro Hospital (SLH) for possible novel coronavirus infection has died.

Briefing the media, SLH director Edmundo Lopez said the man, who came from Yunnan in China, succumbed to pneumonia yesterday. Health authorities are awaiting results of his laboratory tests for the coronavirus called 2019-nCoV.

“Early this morning, at around 7 a.m., we have a person under investigation (who) expired. He was not yet confirmed for nCoV. He was admitted last Monday,” Lopez said.

He added that the unnamed patient, who was also found positive for HIV, was observed with “varying symptoms” upon admission. He said the patient had “cervical lesions, swollen lymph nodes and was skinny.”

According to Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, the man was among the 23 persons under investigation or suspect cases for 2019-nCoV. Results of laboratory tests on the PUIs are not yet out.

“You ask me if we have confirmed cases for 2019-nCoV? Zero,” he said.

Four PUIs have already been discharged from hospital isolation after testing negative for the virus, which originated from Wuhan City in China’s Hubei province.

Sixteen of the 23 samples are being examined at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Muntinlupa. The six others were sent to the Victorian Infectious Disease Reference Laboratory in Melbourne, Australia for confirmatory tests.

Duque has announced that the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) has “strengthened border surveillance by monitoring travelers not just from Wuhan but also from Hubei province.”

He stressed this was part of the amendment to the “interim guidelines” on preparedness and response to the 2019-nCoV.

The health chief said this means that even if they are not manifesting symptoms of flu-like illness upon arrival in the Philippines, Hubei travelers would have to do “self quarantine for 14 days” to make sure none of them were “incubating” upon entering the country.

BOQ director Ferdinand Salcedo reported that two Filipina workers in Wuhan who returned to the Philippines have been doing self-quarantine in a condominium.

Salcedo said a bureau surveillance officer monitors the two “once or twice a day” and neither one of them is manifesting symptoms.

No need to panic

While expressing “serious concern” regarding the rising number of individuals being investigated for possible nCoV infection, Malacañang said there is no need to panic.

“We’re looking at it with serious concern so the President has instructed the DOH secretary to study and evaluate what better procedure should be taken in order to contain, stop the coming in of this disease in this country,” presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo told reporters.

“I talked with Secretary Duque, he said we don’t have to worry but we have to make ourselves conscious of the fact that there may be some virus coming in so we have to protect ourselves by avoiding crowds. If we have to be there we have to wear a mask, we have to wash our hands,” he added.

He admitted it would be hard to repatriate Filipinos in Wuhan.

“Now with respect to the travel restrictions and those who want to be repatriated here, we have already said that it might be difficult to repatriate them because we might even be risking them to contamination. So the best thing, I suppose, is to let them stay there and follow protocols in China, whatever protocols they have,” the Palace spokesman said.

When told that about 50 Filipinos in Wuhan have signified interest in coming home, Panelo replied: “Yes, but the problem is we might be opening them to contamination because when they leave there they have to go to the airport, they have to ride in whatever. They will do the same here. We might face more problems.”

For Vice President Leni Robredo, there is a need for heightened information drive to help prevent the spread of fake news about the virus.

“There’s a need to intensify the information drive because most of the source of fear is the lack of knowledge about the situation,” Robredo said in an interview in Sumilao, Bukidnon.

She said the public should help the DOH in disseminating proper information on the novel coronavirus, which has already killed over 130 people in China, the origin of the virus.

“The DOH has come up with several prevention as well as safety and security measures. I think we just need to expand the information campaign so the people would understand,” Robredo said.

The Vice President also proposed the cancelation of some flights from countries with reported nCoV cases as well as the purchase of new and sophisticated equipment for airports and ports to prevent the spread of the virus in the country.

“If we need to suspend flights, we may do so. If we need to add new equipment in our airports and ports, we can do that,” Robredo said.

Well-equipped

Speaking before lawmakers, Duque said contrary to skeptics’ fears, the government is very much “capable” of handling the latest health emergency.

He was reaffirming Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin’s interpellation that the national government is not without any power to solve the issue. Garin was DOH chief during the previous Aquino administration.

“We are very capable. We have more experts than the other countries. We are almost equipped, therefore we should not be alarmed,” the opposition lawmaker said. “What we just need is control.”

Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano thanked Duque for a “very enlightening” Question Hour.

Asked by Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda if banning the entry of Chinese is one of the options being considered by the DOH, Duque said: “I assure you, as we have always put in mind, and bear in mind, the recommendations that you so accurately articulated, perhaps we can consider it in our next task force meetings.” 

Legarda acknowledged though that such option may have “political and diplomatic repercussions,” considering the Duterte administration’s revitalized diplomatic ties with Beijing.

The Department of Education (DepEd) has also taken steps to protect schools from the virus.

In an order dated Jan. 24, Education Undersecretary Alain Pascua instructed schools to conduct awareness and information campaign on the coronavirus.

“In the interest of everyone’s health and safety, all school officials are strictly enjoined to support measures, awareness and initiatives against coronavirus and polio in the Philippines,” Pascua said in his memo order No. 8.

“In view of public health concerns brought about by the spread of novel coronavirus in China, parts of Asia and the rest of the world, this memorandum is issued to alert all school personnel and learners to take precautionary measures against the possible spread of the virus,” Pascua said.

Minimized contact

Precaution against the spread of the disease would be taken even during masses in churches.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has issued guidelines aimed at minimizing physical contact during services.

CBCP secretary general Fr. Marvin Meija said the faithful are enjoined to receive the Eucharist with their hands, while bishops are advised to check and change regularly the holy water in fonts.

An Oratio Imperata would also be recited after communion “so that we can, as a Church and a nation, bring our supplication through prayer.”

Balanga, Bataan Bishop Ruperto Santos said the faithful should refrain from kissing the bishop’s ring or holding hands when singing The Lord’s Prayer during masses.

“It is pastoral since we are concerned with the wellbeing of body and spirit,” he added.

He said the diocese deems it “prudent to minimize contact so as to prevent spread of infection not only of coronavirus, but other viruses as well.” 

“As of this moment, we are thankful to our Almighty God that there’s no confirmed case yet of coronavirus infection in the Philippines, but as a precautionary measure we have to be vigilant,” Santos said.

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) has vowed to monitor individuals possibly infected with the disease – including its own personnel – and apprehend them if necessary.

PNP chief Gen. Archie Gamboa also directed the police health service to monitor the condition of all personnel on possibility they were also infected by the virus.

“If they are infected they should be isolated and required to report immediately to the Department of Health,” Banac said.

He said some PNP officers may have attended schools in China. – Robertzon Ramirez, Delon Porcalla, Ding Cervantes, Rainier Allan Ronda, Roel Pareño, Helen Flores, Alexis Romero, Delon Porcalla