By ANALOU DE VERA
The Department of Health has strongly suggested to individuals who might have been exposed to a novel coronavirus disease 2019 patient to undergo self-quarantine.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that individuals who deem that they have been exposed to the virus were encouraged to isolate themselves for two weeks.
“Kailangan po mag isolate kayo; ihiwalay ang mga kutsara, ang mga plato, ang mga baso,” said Vergeire.
The Health official added that they need to isolate themselves in a certain room and avoid interaction with other members of the family.
Several government officials have announced that they would undergo self-quarantine after exposure to patients who have tested positive for COVID-19.
They include Senators Sherwin Gatchalian and Nancy Binay; Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domogoso, Navotas Mayor Tobby Tiangco, and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.
The DoH stressed to the public to observe basic precautionary measures to avoid contracting the disease.
These are:
– Practice frequent handwashing for at least 20 seconds.
– Avoid unprotected contact with farm or wild animals.
– Practice proper cough etiquette.
– Maintain distance and cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or the crook of your elbow.
– Avoid close contact with people showing cold or flu-like symptoms.
– Ensure that food is well-cooked.
“I am calling all Filipinos to cooperate. In such trying times, we should not let our fears overwhelm us and cause us to over-react. We need to work together,” Health Secretary Francisco Duque III had earlier said.
COVID DEATH
A 67-year-old Filipina who had tested positive for COVID-19 died Wednesday night.
The Department of Health said that the deceased patient was the country’s 35th confirmed case. She was admitted at the Manila Doctors Hospital in Manila and was the first Filipino to have died in relation to the dreaded virus that originated in Wuhan, China.
The woman showed symptoms on Feb. 29 and was tested positive on March 11.
The Health department said that it is still gathering other information regarding the deceased patient. The DoH said that it will “announce all pertinent details once all data has been transmitted and verified by the department.”
“Meanwhile, everyone is urged to follow DoH’s official accounts and to only source information on the COVID-19 health situation from official DoH channels,” it added.
The first recorded COVID-19 fatality in the country was a 44-year-old Chinese man from Wuhan last Feb. 1 He was also the Philippines’ second confirmed case of COVID-19 and first novel coronavirus related-death outside of China.
