MANILA, Philippines (Updated 2:56 p.m.) — As of Thursday, the Epidemiology Bureau and the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group have identified all the 441 contacts of the first and second case of the 2019
nCoV ARD in the Philippines.
Of the figure, 379
constituted passengers and crew from flights taken by the confirmed cases, while 62 contacts were from the hotels, resorts, hospitals, public vehicles and other places visited by the confirmed cases, DOH spokesperson Eric Domingo said in a press briefing.
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Of the 235 contacts reached so far,
203 were placed on home quarantine. They had no reported signs or symptoms but
the remaining 32 contacts that exhibited symptoms were categorized as patients under investigation (PUIs).
As of Friday, there are
a total of 215 PUIs for 2019
nCoV ARD in the Philippines.
This includes the three confirmed cases where one patient
is still admitted.
One has been discharged while the other has died.
At least 57 PUIs have tested negative, while 155 test results are still pending.
A total of 184 PUIs
are currently admitted and isolated while
17 have been discharged under strict monitoring.
Nine others have refused hospital admission.
Domingo said the health department is coordinating with local government units and the PNP to assist PUIs who refuse hospitalization,
as well as with the Department of Foreign Affairs and concerned embassies on foreign nationals refusing to
be admitted.
The first and second confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in the Philippines is a Chinese couple, with the 44-year-old male being the first fatality recorded in the Philippines and the first
nCoV death among 24 countries outside of China.