The Philippines announced on Monday that at least 11 people are being investigated for suspected infection of the Wuhan coronavirus that has started spreading in Asia and other western countries.
According to CNN, the Philippines' Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the country is "closely monitoring 11 PUIs (patients under investigation)," adding that the said patients show symptoms similar to those experienced by coronavirus patients.
Furthermore, Duque III noted that the PUIs traveled to Wuhan. The news came amid increasing fears around the country that the novel virus has already entered Philippine soil.
The hospitals where the PUIs are being monitored are in the following areas: Cebu City El Nido in Palawan, Muntinlupa City, Camiguin, Tacloban, Pasay City, and Kalibo in Aklan, and their nationalities include German, Chinese, American, and Brazilian.
Should the said patients test positive of the Wuhan coronavirus, the data will be forwarded to Melbourne's infectious disease reference laboratory but results have yet to arrive within 24 to 48 hours.
As of Monday, January 27, there are no confirmed cases in the Philippines. However, some schools in the metro have already suspended classes indefinitely due to increasing fears that the virus may spread around school premises.
Local news outlet ABS-CBN News reported that the following schools In Metro Manila suspended classes on Monday as a precautionary measure against the Wuhan coronavirus: Pace Academy, Quezon City, St. Stephen's High School, Hope Christian High School, St. Jude Catholic School, Chiang Kai Shek College, and Uno High School.
The said coronavirus has already killed at least 81 people in China. Over 2,740 cases have been recorded in the country and the government has taken extreme actions such as placing on quarantine the source region last week.
However, Duque III reiterated that there is still no reason to suspend classes in the Philippines despite fears that the Wuhan coronavirus could have entered the country. According to Cebu Daily News, Education Secretary Leonor Briones came to the defense of the private schools that suspended classes.
Briones pointed out that private schools have more autonomy than public schools when it comes to class suspensions. She added that the schools should implement make-up classes after the suspensions to ensure that students will not miss any activities or school work.
Duque III, on the other hand, went on to remind the Filipino public to make sure they do not easily believe rumors being spread through social media regarding the novel virus. He said the Department of Health (DOH) will release official data if there are confirmed cases in the future.
