By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent with
FROILAN GALLARDO
Special Correspondent and
ERWIN MASCARINAS
Correspondent
HEALTH officials here are expecting today the results of the laboratory tests on samples taken from three people under observation in Cagayan de Oro hospitals because they have shown symptoms of novel coronavirus infections.
Two of the potential virus carriers are confined at the state-run Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC) while the third patient was admitted to a private hospital, confirmed David Mendoza, an epidemiologist of the Department of Health (DOH) in northern Mindanao, over the weekend.
“Dili lang diha sa NMMC atong gi-obserbahan, na-a poy usa pa ka pasyente sa la-ing private hospital, aron atong masiguro kon coronavirus ba o dili ang hinongdan sa ilang sintomas,” Dr. Mendoza said.
The patients had symptoms. According to Mendoza, they were coughing, had colds, and fever.
Mendoza said swab samples were sent to Manila for laboratory examination on Saturday, and DOH officials here expect to see the results this afternoon.
He said when health officials here found out about the three patients with these symptoms, they wasted no time to collect samples for laboratory testing and placed them under close observation.
Mendoza declined to say if the three patients are Filipinos or foreigners but he revealed that all have a history of being in China.
“Dili lang Chinese ang atong gi-monitor. Lakip mga Pilipino ug bisan unsa nga nationality basta na-ay history nga gikan sila sa China, labi na kon na-a kana kanila nga mga sintomas,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mayor Oscar Moreno called for calm and sobriety even as he downplayed growing fears about the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Moreno said one advantage Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental have is that there is no direct flight between China or another country and the Laguindingan airport in Misamis Oriental.
“Mao nang dili ta mabalaka kay kon na-ay mosulod sa ato, na-check up na kini sila sa ubang lugar,” he said.
City hall, through city health officer Dr. Lorraine Nery, is closely coordinating with the DOH to prevent the virus from spreading here.
Moreno said city hall is also coordinating with officials of the international container port in Tagoloan town “kay basin na-ay mga tawo nga gikan sa gawas nga mokana-og diha sa maong pantalan.”
Standby Mode
Several teams have been on standby mode here since late last week just waiting for a call of assistance from the DOH to help trace people who might have been in contact with the 38-year-old Chinese student, the first confirmed case of the 2019 novel coronavirus in the country.
Dr. Nery said the teams would be activated as soon as DOH in Region 7 would call for help.
The Philippine Air Lines said on Friday it has placed an entire crew of two pilots and four cabin crews of its Manila to Dumaguete flight under quarantine.
In a statement, PAL said they are also contacting the passengers seated near the patient, who is now confined at the San Lazaro Manila in Metro Manila.
A day after DOH confirmed the first case of novel coronavirus in the country, panicky residents began buying spree for facemasks from drugstores nationwide.
But most drugstores have ran out of supply and have posted signs that there were no longer facemasks for sale.
At the Laguindingan airport on Friday, most of the passengers from all incoming flights from Manila and Cebu were seen wearing face masks at the arrival area. Teams from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) also distributed face masks at the bus terminals in Barangay Bulua and Agora in Lapasan.
10 in Caraga
In neighboring Caraga region, the health department is keeping an eye on 10 Chinese in Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte and Cabadbaran City in Agusan del Norte.
The DOH in Caraga said the Chinese are of between 24 to 38 years and they arrived in the region between Jan. 23 and Jan. 26.
Officials said seven are staying in Gen. Luna in Siargao Island while three are in Cabadbaran City, Agusan del Norte, about 30 minutes from Butuan City.
“We recommended that these individuals be isolated… while we are monitoring their health,” said Dr. Dioharra Aparri, cluster head of the Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit-Health Emergency Management Service of the DOH in Caraga.
In Jan. 27, Surigao del Norte Gov. Francisco Matugas signed an executive order raising the alert level in the province because of the novel coronavirus.
Based on the order, all travelers are required to register at all ports of entry and provide contact and travel information.
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