11 persons under investigation for possible nCoV infection —Duque

The Department of Health (DOH) on Monday said there are at least 11 persons under investigation (PUIs) for suspected 2019 novel coronavirus-related (2019-nCoV) in the Philippines.

At a news conference in Malacañang, DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III said the PUIs are all foreigners and are in hospitals in Metro Manila (2), Mimaropa (1), Northern Mindanao (1), Western Visayas (3), Eastern Visayas (1) and Central Visayas (3).

Interviewed on Unang Balita, Duque stressed that as of the moment, there is no confirmed case of the virus in the country.

Duque said those under investigation had a travel history to Wuhan, which is considered ground zero of the outbreak.

He said the department is still waiting for the results of the test done on these PUIs by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine.

“Kung mag-positive, hindi pa papauwiin. Magpapadala ng confirmatory test sa Melbourne, Australia,” he said.

The PUIs are from Central Visayas (1 person), Western Visayas (9 people), and National Capital Region (3).

Duque said the PUIs are in quarantine.

The Manila Health Department (MHD) on Monday denied reports circulating online that there is already a confirmed case of the novel coronavirus at Metropolitan Hospital in Binondo.

Also, the Medical City on Sunday denied online rumors that it has a patient infected with the 2019 novel coronavirus, which has already killed 56 people, most of them in Wuhan. —Joviland Rita and Virgil Lopez/KBK, GMA News