DOH says no confirmed nCov case in Tacloban
BY: JOEY A. GABIETA
TACLOBAN CITY-The spokesperson of the regional office of the Department of Health (DOH) said that the 36-year old man suspected to have infected of the corona virus appears to be well.
But still, the Caucasian man now confined in a government-run hospital, this city, is being monitored and observed by his doctors, John Paul Roca, DOH regional information officer, said.
“(The) patient has no episodes of fever, though he has occasional, non-productive cough; just like an ordinary cough or fever. The only difference is that he came from Wuhan City,” Roca said.
The DOH has described the man as a ‘suspect case’ of corona virus or 2019nCov because he was exhibiting fever and cough when he arrived in Tacloban and he was from Wuhan City, where the virus was first detected.
Roca said that the man will be observed for 14 days, which is to end on Feb.2, and if the result would turn out to be negative, he will be discharged immediately from the hospital.
He also revealed that last Saturday (Jan.25), doctors took swab test (nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal) to the man which will be brought at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Manila for confirmatory result.
They expect the result within 48 hours, Roca said.
It was learned from Roca that the doctors and nurses assigned to the man were wearing protective masks for their protection.
The patient was said to have developed fever and cough when he arrived in the city last January 16 from Wuhan City.
But a day after his arrival, he was said to have developed fever and coughing and was immediately brought to a public hospital and later transferred to a referral hospital, still in this city, where he is now placed in isolation.
He was said to come to the city for a vacation though there is an information that he has a girlfriend here.
Roca also said that the contacts of the man are undergoing ‘self-quarantine’ or just staying at their house as part of a precautionary measure.
He, however, said that the contacts remain to be asymptomatic which means they are not experiencing any fever.
“And if ever they will show some of the symptoms, they should immediately contact us so we can bring to the hospital,” Roca said.
