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5 of 33 COVID-19 patients are from Marikina, mayor says


Marikina Mayor Marcelino Teodoro on Wednesday said five of the 33 confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the country are residents of the city.

Interviewed on Unang Balita, Teodoro said the wife and some household workers of the American who earlier tested positive for the virus are now also infected.

“Isang kaso nga lang meron tayo sa Marikina. Pero bago matapos ang araw umakyat ito sa lima. ‘Yung apat na under investigation natin, nag-positibo. Within the same family sila,” he said.

According to Teodoro, the index case was an American from San Diego, California who returned to the Philippines. He had a layover in South Korea before landing in the country on February 19.

“Tapos, March 6, pinasok sa hospital dahil na-diagnose nga na may pneumonia. March 9, na-confirm na confirmed case siya,” he added.

Teodoro said that most of the infected patients are elderly.

“Puspusan na ang contact-tracing na ginagawa natin. Kailangan mabilis at timely para hindi na sila magkaroon ng further transmission,” he said.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Tuesday said that two patients are in critical condition, including an 86-year-old American.

On Tuesday, the number of confirmed COVID-19 patients in the Philippines jumped from 24 to 33 as the Department of Health (DOH) recorded nine new cases. —Joviland Rita/KBK, GMA News

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