30 Pinoy deportees from Malaysia PUIs for COVID

MANILA, Philippines — At least 30 of the 121 Filipino deportees from Malaysia who are on 14-day quarantine on an island in Lantawan, Basilan are persons under investigation (PUIs) for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Municipal administrator Tahira Ismael said the PUIs have manifested symptoms of the flu virus, such as cough and fever.

The Western Mindanao Command identified the uninhabited Sibakel island to quarantine Filipinos who returned from Sandakan after their boats were not allowed  to dock off the coast of Zamboanga City.

The Department of Health (DOH)-Zamboanga peninsula office said there are 127 PUIs and 11,223 persons under monitoring (PUMs) for the flu virus in the region.

Meanwhile, Pangasinan was placed on extreme enhanced community quarantine on Monday after it recorded four cases, including two fatalities from Rosales and Bayambang towns.

In an executive order, Gov. Amado Espino III said no one would be allowed to enter or leave the province up to March 31.

Two of the patients, a 70-year-old male and a 54-year-old female, are confined at the Pangasinan Provincial Hospital in San Carlos City.

In Mountain Province, Sadanga Mayor Gabino Gangngangan barred the entry of residents who work and study in areas where there are confirmed COVID-19 cases until April 12.

Gangngangan said residents who died outside the town are also not allowed to be brought home for burial.

Eastern Visayas records 1st case

Director Minerva Molon of the DOH-Eastern Visayas office said a 51-year-old resident of Catarman, Northern Samar who traveled to Japan and stayed for two months in Greenhills, San Juan City, is the first COVID-19 case in the region.

The patient reportedly went home to Catarman on March 4 and was hospitalized in Northern Samar on March 10. The DOH regional office is tracing all those who had contact with the patient.

Northern Samar Gov. Edwin Ongchuan imposed a 24-hour curfew from March 23 to April 15 for those 65-year-old and above and 18-year-old and below to prevent the spread of the flu virus. 

The DOH regional office said there are 59 PUIs in Northern Samar, 42 in Western Samar, 40 in Eastern Samar, 34 in Calbayog City, 19 in Leyte, 15 in Southern Leyte and 10 each in Tacloban City and Maasin City, four in Ormoc City, two in Borongan City, and one each from Biliran and Baybay City.  Fifteen of the PUIs remain confined in various hospitals.

In Isabela, a PUI died on Monday at the Southern Isabela Medical Center while waiting for the result of his test for COVID-19.

Disinfect vehicles

As this developed, Mayor Eleanor Villanueva-Tugna of Bocaue, Bulacan said she ordered the disinfection of vehicles entering rice trading centers in the town as a precautionary measure against COVID-19.

The Golden City Business Park and Intercity Industrial Park have around 200 rice mills and are major suppliers of rice to residents of Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

Tugna said she sought manpower augmentation from the private sector for the disinfection to ensure that operations at the rice trading centers would not be disrupted.