Two individuals, a Frenchman and a Boholano seafarer, have been quarantined at a government hospital in Tagbilaran City after they were suspected of infection with the coronavirus disease (COVID 19).
Doctor Yul Lopez, spokesperson of the Capitol’s anti-COVID technical working group, said that the French national, 39, and the seaman, 27, have travel history to Vietnam and Singapore, respectively, and showed flu-like symptoms.
The Frenchman was quarantined at an isolation ward at the Governor Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital (GCGMH) starting Monday. He arrived in Bohol through the Catagbacan Port in Loon from Argao, Cebu.
He is on his fourth day of isolation, and results of his swab test which were sent to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) on his first day of confinement are expected to be released within the day.
According to Lopez, the Boholano seaman was reported as a patient under investigation for COVID infection by health authorities in his hometown of Jagna on Wednesday.
He was then confined for isolation at the GCGMH on the same day.
“Iyang point of entry sa Pilipinas from Singapore is Manila. Unya ni stay ni siya sa Manila og lima ka adlaw before mi-uli sa Bohol…Considering na gikan og Singapore unya Manila pud diin nagkasaka ang kaso, unya nagpakita ni siya og sipon ug ubo, ato g’yud ni siyang gi PUI,” he said.
The seaman’s swab samples were sent to the RITM on the same day of his confinement.
As of March 8, there were 138 confirmed COVID cases in Singapore and 21 in Vietnam according to data from the World Health Organization.
Meanwhile, there have been 49 known cases in the Philippines, most of which were recorded in Metro Manila.
Lopez reiterated that PUIs are not confirmed cases.
The health official has repeatedly explained that PUIs are persons who have larger chances of having contracted COVID due to recent travel to countries or areas with confirmed cases of the disease and are exhibiting symptoms, which are very common such as fever and cough.
According to Lopez, the detection of PUIs is a result of the vigilance of health and security personnel of the province particularly those deployed in seaports and the Bohol Panglao International Airport.
“Atong gi-congratulate ang atong mga personnel sa pantalan kay dinalian kaayo ug ila g’yung na-identify kining mga taw na nagpakita og simtomas pero once again akong klaruhon na dili ni siya positive case, bunga ra g’yud ni sa atong igmat ug aktibo na pag-protekta sa atong lalawigan,” he said. (R. Tutas)