Department of Health said they are still verifying reports that another foreign national has died due to 2019 novel coronavirus or COVID-19, Tuesday. If true, it would be the second coronavirus-related death in the Philippines.
DOH Secretary Francisco Duque said he received unverified information that an American patient with pre-existing medical conditions had died of coronavirus before dawn.
However, the health agency is still verifying the report. “I still have to validate that,” he told DZMM.
As of today, the Philippines now has 24 confirmed COVID-19 cases with one fatality, which is a Chinese national from Wuhan, China. The 44-year-old patient was also the world’s first coronavirus-related death outside the virus’ epicenter, China.
The government confirmed the 4th, 5th, and 6th case of the virus on Friday, then ten yesterday, and an additional four last night as announced by President Rodrigo Duterte. He also declared suspension of classes for all levels in NCR from today until Saturday.
President Duterte says the four new cases of coronavirus were reported in West Crame, San Juan, Sta. Maria, Bulacan, and Project 6, Quezon City.
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Meanwhile, Mayor Joy Belmonte said three of the 24 cases were from Quezon City.
The first patient is a 57-year-old man from Baler Street and has been admitted to a hospital. His family has been put under home quarantine, and none of them have shown COVID-19 symptoms so far, Belmonte told DZMM.
The second patient is also male in his 30s living in a condominium unit in Tomas Morato Avenue. Officials already disinfected his condo, and the patient is “okay” recovering at a hospital outside Quezon City.
Quezon City’s third coronavirus case is from the Project 6 area. Belmonte said health officials would look for the patient’s house since the first address they had was “not accurate.”