Provincial Health Officer Dr. Samuel Delfin is recommending to all individuals with history of travel to China including its territories to immediately coordinate with their respective Local Health Offices or any health facilities upon arrival in the province.
The advisory was issued by the PHO in its Feb. 4 official statement on the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV ARD) especially that there are already two who are considered Persons Under Investigation (PUI) in Capiz as of Feb. 3.
Aside from the PUIs, the province has registered 16 Persons Under Monitoring (PUM) for 2019-nCoV based on Feb. 5 PHO records.
Based on DOH Advisory No. 3 which pertains to the assessment of patients in response to 2019-nCoV health event, a PUM is anyone who came from other parts of the world with confirmed 2019-2019-nCoV infection except China, has no history of exposure, but with fever and/or cough.
PUMs are advised to go on self-quarantine for 14 days.
Further, the PHO recommendation was sustained by PHO Health Education and Promotion Officer Ayr Altavas over a local radio interview, the concerned individuals will only put themselves, families and their communities in danger if they will not coordinate with the local health authorities.
He clarified that the necessary specimen of PUIs will be subjected to a laboratory examination at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) for confirmation.
The PHO has also advised the public to refrain from posting, sending and sharing unverified information or reports about 2019-nCoV through social media and SMS platforms in its earlier official advisories.
It is also encouraging everyone to promote and practice prevention and control measures like washing of hands often, using mask properly and when necessary, checking body temperature everyday, avoiding large crowds and keeping the face from being touched by unclean hands.
An executive order was issued by Governor Esteban Evan B. Contreras, Jan. 27, towards a strengthened and intensified prevention and control mechanisms against the threats of the new virus.ALEX LUMAQUE/PIA
