The Manila Health Department clarified in a statement that the Chinese man in Binondo, Manila, who admitted to a hospital, has community-acquired pneumonia and not 2019 novel coronavirus, Monday, January 27.
The Chinese national works at Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO).
He was hospitalized at Metropolitan Hospital last Saturday due to fever and cough. Manila City Health Officer Dr. Arnold Pangan said the man is now in stable condition and without a fever.
“The patient has fever and cough but negative on history of travel to Wuhan, China, and no history of exposure to a host or positive case,” Pangan said.
The coronavirus scare spread on social media on Sunday, which prompted several schools in Manila to suspend classes.
Chinese man with alleged coronavirus in Binondo diagnosed with pneumonia
The information came from Raffy Tulfo in Action Facebook page. It said they received an e-mail Sunday night from a concerned health worker working in Metropolitan Medical Center (MMC) in Binondo, Manila.
They said a man who recently traveled from Wuhan, China, was rushed to the hospital and showed symptoms of coronavirus such as fever and cough.
They also said the hospital already sent the samples from the patient to Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) for further tests and confirmation.
Raffy Tulfo in Action urged the Department of Health to investigate the said coronavirus case.
Mayor Isko Moreno, meantime, urged the public to avoid sharing misinformation and to be vigilant.
“Tayo po ay makinig sa mga lathalain, panawagan ng mga tamang tao at ahensya ng gobyerno,” he said.
(Let us listen to the publications, calls of the right people and government agencies)
“Kayo rin, tayong lahat, huwag kayong matatakot kapag kayo ay may ubo. Mas maganda magpagamot at magpa-check up.”
(You too, all of us, don’t be afraid when you have a cough. It is best to treated and have a check-up.)