Philippines records 3 more COVID-19 deaths; total now at 5

The Philippines recorded three more deaths from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on Thursday night, bringing the total number of fatalities from the disease in the country to five.

In a statement, the Department of Health (DOH) said Patients 5, 6, and 37 have died.

Patient 5 and Patent 6

Patients 5 and 6 were a husband and wife from Cainta confined at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM). Patient 5 was 62, while his wife Patient 6 was 59.

Patient 5, who had frequented a Muslim prayer hall in Greenhills, began developing symptoms on February 25 and tested positive for COVID-19 on March 5.

According to the DOH, Patient 5 had diabetes, hypertension, and an acute kidney injury aside from COVID-19. He succumbed to acute respiratory distress syndrome from severe pneumonia on Thursday morning.

Patient 6 started experiencing COVID-19 symptoms on February 27 and was confirmed to have the disease on March 6.

She was a diabetic who died of acute respiratory distress syndrome due to severe pneumonia on Wednesday night.

“[She] suddenly experienced difficulty of breathing and was intubated late evening of March 11,” the department said.

Repeat X-rays also found progressive pneumonia in the deceased patient.

According to Cainta Mayor Kit Nieto, Patients 5 and 6's four children were placed under quarantine but all tested negative for the disease.

Patient 37

Patient 37 was an 88-year-old female admitted at the Philippine Heart Center. She was also reported to have hypertension prior to testing positive for COVID-19.

Patient 37 was a Pasig City resident. She began experiencing COVID-19 symptoms on February 28 and tested positive for the disease on Wednesday.

She died of acute respiratory failure on Thursday afternoon.

The total number of Filipinos who have died from the disease is now four. The country's first fatality was a Chinese man who was also the first death from the disease outside of China.

On Thursday evening, President Rodrigo Duterte announced tougher measures to combat the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), including work and class suspensions as well as travel restrictions, as part of a "community quarantine" in Metro Manila.  — Julia Mari Ornedo/BM, GMA News