2 PUIs in Tarlac die ahead of test results -gov

Two persons under investigation (PUI) for possible coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection in Tarlac province have expired before the results of the swab test conducted on them were released.

Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB on Wednesday, Tarlac Governor Susan Yap said the two were brought to hospitals on Monday where they died hours later.

FLASH REPORT: Dalawang PUI sa Tarlac na dinala sa ospital noong Lunes, pumanaw na; resulta sa isinagawang swab test para sa COVID-19, hinihintay pa, ayon kay Gov. Susan Yap. pic.twitter.com/SxRYMHXd4J

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) March 18, 2020

"Both are elderly and one had history of emphysema," she said.

Yap said one of the two was a bus driver who worked in Metro Manila and went home to Tarlac before the community quarantine imposed by the national government took effect.

"Nung magla-lockdown ang Maynila, marami pong taga-Maynila na umuwi ng Tarlac, ng probinsiya," she said.

She said both were male who lived in separate towns.

"They were admitted to hospital not because of COVID but because of preexisting illness. Ang health protocol ay pag may signs like umuubo, automatic pinapa-swab namin yun at pinapa-test," Yap said.

Yap said the samples from the two were still with the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine (RITM) as of Wednesday.

There were 23 PUIs in Tarlac as of the latest count by the Department of Health, Yap said. --KBK, GMA News