DOH reports 29 new cases, bringing total COVID-19 cases to 140

MANILA, Philippines, March 16 ------ The Department of Health (DOH) on Sunday reported 29 new coronavirus cases and four more deaths, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 140 and fatalities to 12. Among those who died was an employee of the House of Representatives who had tested positive for the new coronavirus although he had no history of travel to any country with confirmed cases of the disease called COVID-19. He died on Sunday.

The 41-year-old staff member of the House Printing Service, who was identified only by his first name, Brandon, had been suffering from a number of ailments and had been in and out of the hospital, according to House Secretary-General Jose Luis Montales. “It is with deep sadness that we inform you that Brandon from our Printing Service passed away this morning. He left behind his loving parents, wife and two children,” Montales said in a message to House members and staff.

Among the latest to die was an 86-year-old American male who lived in Marikina City and had traveled to the United States and South Korea. He had preexisting conditions, including hypertension and diabetes, and had suffered from acute respiratory distress syndrome due to community-acquired pneumonia caused by SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The third fatality was a 64-year-old man from Negros Oriental province who recently traveled to Greenhills in San Juan City, Metro Manila. He had a known case of chronic renal disease. He died on Sunday morning.

The DOH did not name the man, but he was reported to be Hermie Cerna, a municipal councilor in Tayasan town. Bimbo Miraflor, the provincial spokesperson, said the councilor’s two maids had fever, sore throat and cough and were considered patients under observation for the coronavirus. A 27-year-old woman who was under observation for the coronavirus in Cebu City on Sunday had been tested for the virus, but the results of the test had not returned when she died. It wasn’t immediately clear if she would be considered a COVID-19 fatality.

The woman’s death prompted Mayor Edgar Labella to place the entire city under “community quarantine” to prevent the virus from spreading locally. On Saturday, the DOH reported that two patients had died, identifying them as patients 89 and 79. Patient 89 was a 67-year-old male from the City of San Fernando, Pampanga province, with no travel history. He died of acute respiratory disease on Wednesday, but had several preexisting medical conditions. Patient 79 was a 68-year-old male from Makati City with no travel history or exposure to a confirmed coronavirus case. He died of acute respiratory disease on Saturday, but also had other medical conditions, including hypertensive cardiovascular disease.

Source: inquirer.net