Filtered By: Topstories
News

PUI dies without COVID-19 testing; widow breaks down amid neighbors' discrimination


 

A man who was declared a person under investigation (PUI) died without ever being tested for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Worse, his family is now the subject of discrimination  by their neighbors in San Juan.

According to a 24 Oras report by Maki Pulido on Wednesday, Edgar Salayon was brought to the hospital on March 25 because of a days-long fever and mild diarrhea coupled with phlegm.

He had asked for an oxygen tank at the hospital but doctors denied his request, saying he was still in good condition. Edgar was declared a PUI and shortly sent home to undergo quarantine.

“Quarantine lang daw so binigyan siya ng mga antibiotic. Walang testing ng swab, wala lahat,” his wife Anne told GMA News.

Edgar’s fever still did not subside after the hospital visit and he slowly began to lose his sense of taste.

On March 27, he was rushed to the hospital but was declared dead on arrival.

“Pagdating naman sa ospital… pinasok siya do’n sa tent ng PUI, pinipilit siyang i-revive nang mga 30 minutes,” his wife recounted.

“Sabi nila, wala na raw. Ta’s sabi ko, ‘Sana mai-test man lang asawa ko.’ Sabi nila, iisa na lang daw ‘yung pantest, para na lang daw do’n sa PUI na nando’n,” she added.

Edgar was immediately cremated without being tested for COVID-19.

Meanwhile, at their home in Barangay Progreso, San Juan, Anne was shunned by her neighbors.

She said that they prohibited her from leaving their house and once even sent away a GrabFood driver delivering food to their home.

“Mahirap, namatayan ka na, ganito pa. Hindi mo nga alam kung kailangan ko maililibing ang asawa ko e. Masakit pa, walang makikiramay sayo. Wala akong puwedeng makausap,” Anne lamented.

She had been wanting to get tested for COVID-19 to allay the fears of her neighbors once and for all, but she does not know where to go.

“Ba’t kaya hanggang ngayon, hangga’t ‘di ka nakakapagbigay sa kanila na negative ka, ico-condemn ka nila. Masakit, ‘di ba?” --JuliaMari Ornedo/JST, GMA News

LOADING CONTENT