Philippines virus deaths hit 33; infected now at 462

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) yesterday reported 82 new cases of coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 in the country, the highest increase documented in one day, raising the total number of cases to 462.  

The DOH said eight more deaths were recorded, bringing the total fatalities to 33. Only one patient recovered, raising the number of patients that have been cured to 18.

Health Undersecretary Ma. Rosario Vergeire said they expect the figures to increase as the testing capability for COVID-19 has been scaled up due to the arrival of donated test kits from abroad and those developed by Filipino scientists.

Aside from this, sub-national testing laboratories have been identified to augment the testing capacity of the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine and University of the Philippines - Manila National Institutes of Health.  

“Maybe we are having an artificial rise because the backlogs in our laboratory capacity has been reduced. If we reach a stable laboratory capacity, we will see the real trend of cases in the country,” she maintained.

DOH data showed the 18th patient to recover is a 54-year-old Filipino male (PH73) from Manila with travel history in Thailand and exposure to known COVID-19 cases.

The patient manifested symptoms March 6 and was confirmed positive for COVID-19 on March 13. He was asymptomatic on March 21 after testing negative for the virus.

On the other hand, the fatalities include a 57-year-old Filipino male (PH281) from Mandaluyong City, a 71-year-old Filipino male (PH266) from Quezon City, a 73-year-old Filipino male (PH279) from San Juan City and an 89-year-old Filipino male (PH304) from Bulacan.

The other deaths were: a 74-year-old Filipino male (PH328) from Quezon City, a 65-year-old Filipino male (PF333) from Quezon City, 78-year-old Filipino male (PH367) from Parañaque City and a 56-year-old Filipino male (PH349) from Parañaque City.  

Malabon Mayor Antolin Oreta III said a man in his 50s had tested positve for COVID-19 and is the city’s first recorded case.

Malabon spokesman Bong Padua said the patient, a resident of Barangay Dampalit, is now in a hospital in Manila.

The DOH also confirmed yesterday that a 61-year-old female worker from Italy is the first COVID-19 case in Baguio City.

Director Amelita Pangilinan of DOH Cordillera said the patient arrived in Baguio last March 2 and she was admitted to a local hospital on March 13.

Two officials of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) went on self-quarantine yesterday following a meeting attended by a person who tested positive for COVID-19.

In a statement, MMDA General Manager Jojo Garcia said he would go on self-quarantine after attending a meeting with a COVID-19 positive patient last week.

Garcia said he was confident of not being infected because he practiced proper hygiene like wearing a face mask and proper hand washing.

MMDA spokesperson Celine Pialago also volunteered to go on self-quarantine since she attended the same meeting.

COVID-19 patients abroad

The Department of Foreign Affairs said 153 Filipinos in 23 countries abroad have tested positive for COVID-19 with one fatality in France.

The DFA said 66 Filipinos are undergoing treatment abroad with 86 others discharged from hospitals after recovering from the disease.

Power executive Alan Ortiz passed away yesterday in Paris, France after suffering from COVID-19, according to a Facebook post of his daughter Monica. 

According to his daughter, Ortiz left Manila on March 3 to attend a security conference at the French capital.

“He died in Paris, where he was invited by the French government for a security conference, and contact tracing has already been done. His last known contacts in the Philippines are in good health,” his daughter said.

Prior his stint at the Philippine Council for Foreign Relations as president, Ortiz held various positions in the energy industry.

He was president and COO of SMC Global Power Holdings Corp. (SMC Power). He was also president of the National Transmission Corp. (TransCo), board adviser to the PNOC Energy Development Corp., and board member of the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco).

Two more Filipinos in Hong Kong have tested positive for COVID-19, the Philippine Consulate General said yesterday.

The Hong Kong Health Department officially informed the consulate that two more Filipinos tested positive, bringing to five the Filipinos infected with the virus in the Chinese territory.

The Consulate said it is extending all necessary assistance to the patients.

Of the 80 Filipinos from the cruise ship Diamond Princess that docked in Yokohama, Japan who tested positive for COVID-19, 77 have recovered or were discharged while three others are still undergoing treatment.

A composite team from the Philippine embassy in Tokyo and the DOH repatriated last month 451 Filipino crew and passengers from the virus-hit Diamond Princess that was quarantined at the Port of Yokohama on Feb. 5, after one of its passengers tested positive for COVID-19.

A total of 16 confirmed cases among Filipinos were from another virus-stricken cruise ship, Grand Princess, that docked in Port of Oakland in California. They are all undergoing treatment.

The 444 other Filipinos from Grand Princess arrived in Clark, Pampanga on March 16.

The repatriates, composed of 438 crew and six passengers, were brought home by DFA onboard a chartered flight from San Francisco International Airport.

Meanwhile, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa yesterday opted to remain silent on reports that he was among the government officials tested for COVID-19.

Gamboa did not reply when asked about a list of officials supposedly from RITM whose samples were tested for COVID-19 infection.

A source who refused to be named confirmed that Gamboa was tested but was unaware of the results. Also included in the list are several senators.

The government officials drew flak from irate citizens for bypassing physicians and other frontline health workers who also need COVID-19 tests.

There were reports of physicians dying after contracting the virus while attending to COVID patients.

Another source who spoke on condition of anonymity said other police officials have opted not to get examined due to the lack of test kits.

The source said other police officials are just observing health protocols and leaving the testing kits for the use of doctors and other health workers manning hospitals.

Gamboa is still recuperating from injuries suffered during a helicopter crash in San Pedro City, Laguna earlier this month when the number of persons hit by the virus suddenly increased.

President Duterte placed Metro Manila and the entire of Luzon under an enhanced community quarantine to contain the virus.

The Civil Service Commission warned the public and government agencies and local government units (LGUs) to be more careful with the release of information concerning individuals found positive or are being investigated for COVID-19.

In a statement sent to reporters yesterday, CSC commissioner Aileen Lizada said disclosure of the identities of individuals found positive of COVID-19 and those that are considered as persons under investigation (PUIs) and persons under monitoring (PUMs) is a violation of Republic Act 11332 or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and RA 10173 or the Data Privacy Act.

“Please refrain from sharing them,” Lizada said.

Lizada said anyone found sharing medical information and identities of inviduals, whether the information is verified or not, can be penalized under RA 11332 of fines ranging from P20,000 to P50,000 and imprisonment of one to six months.

“Screenshots of shares can be used as evidence and you will be charged,” Lizada warned. 

The CSC issued the statement amid the spread on social media of the identities of several persons being monitored for the viral COVID-19, without the consent of the concerned individuals or their families. – Sheila Crisostomo, Pia Lee-Brago, Marc Jayson Cayabyab, Danessa Rivera, Emmanuel Tupas, Elizabeth Marcelo, Raymund Catindig

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