By Jojo Mangahis
The Department of Health (DOH) says Luzon has a total of 29 patients under investigation (PUI) for the 2019 Novel CoronaVirus (2019-nCoV) respiratory disease.
As of 12 noon Tuesday,the DOH lists down the breakdown of PUIs in Luzon as follows — Ilocos, 3; Cagayan, 1; CAR (Cordillera Administrative Region), 1; Central Luzon, 16; Calabarzon (Cavite-Laguna-Batangas-Rizal-Quezon), 4 and Mimaropa (Mindoro-Marinduque-Romblon-Palawan), 4.
CAR and Calabarzon reported new PUI cases, at 1 and 4, respectively.
In Pampanga, six PUIs are now placed under isolation at the Jose B. Lingad General Memorial Hospital (JBLGMH) as the hospital awaits the results of laboratory tests.
JBLGMH Director, Dr. Monserrat Chichioco pointed out that five are Chinese missionaries from Myanmar while the other was a Filipino woman who traveled from Hong Kong.
The provincial government of Pampanga vowed to help assist the Bureau of Quarantine in carefully monitoring all arriving passengers at Clark International Airport.
They also pledged an additional two ambulances with drivers and a 40-foot aluminum container van to function as the holding isolation facility for suspected incoming passengers.
Meanwhile, the supply of surgical and N-95 masks at the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) is being monitored by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
Unavailability of these masks in major pharmacies and drug stores in the region were reported as stocks remain undelivered as scheduled.
The DTI central office is now coordinating with local and international suppliers of masks as there is only one manufacturer of surgical masks locally.