MANILA, Philippines — Both the Center for Disease Control and the World Health Organization have suggested the public practice social distancing or intentionally avoiding mass gatherings and maintaining distance from anyone displaying symptoms linked to the new coronavirus.
The Health department has also suggested that persons under investigation practice home quarantine and assessment, monitoring and management with their respective city or municipal offices. Those under self-quarantine are asked to sustain this for at least 14 days, which is how long the virus takes to incubate.
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In the wake of this announcement, several officials have gone into voluntary quarantine in an attempt to quell the spread of the virus, which has already been confirmed in 49 patients as of this writing.
Here's a running list of public officials who have announced their voluntary quarantine.
Cabinet Secretaries:
- Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea
- DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade
- DOTr Asec. Goddes Hope Libiran
- BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno
- DOF Secretary Carlos Dominguez
- DPWH Secretary Mark Villar
- BCDA President Vince Dizon
Congress:
- Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian
- Sen. Nancy Binay
- Sen. Sonny Angara
- Sen. Sen. Panfilo Lacson
- Sen. Imee Marcos
- Sen. Francis Tolentino
- Davao Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio
- Davao Rep. Isidro Ungab
LGUs:
- Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso
- Navotas Rep. John Rey Tiangco
- Caloocan Mayor Oscar Malapitan
- Malabon Mayor Antolin Oreta
- Navotas City Mayor Toby Tiangco
- Valenzuela City Mayor Rex Gatchalian
- BARMM interior minister and regional spokesperson Naguib Sinarimbo
According to a bulletin dated February 26 on the department’s Screening Tool, the DOH looks at three main factors before placing an individual under Patient Under Investigation status:
- Signs and symptoms: Does the person exhibit any respiratory symptoms linked to the novel coronavirus? Does the person have a fever over 38.0 degrees?
- Travel history in the past fourteen days to areas with issued travel restrictions
- History of exposure to confirmed cases or other PUIs
As of this writing, some 126,000 worldwide have been afflicted with the new virus.
If you believe you have come into possible contact with infected patients, you may be directed to the proper office of the Department of Health for advice through the following lines: (632) 8651-7800 local 1149-1150 or (632) 165-364.
You may also opt to call the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine at (02) 8807-2631/ 8807-2632/ 8807-2637.