The Daily Manila Shimbun

 

62-year-old man positive for COVID-19 in ”guarded condition”: DOH

March 9, 2020



A 62-year-old man who tested positive of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remains critical while his wife, who has the same virus, is in stable condition, an official of the Department of Health (DOH) said Sunday.

In a television interview, Assistant Health Secretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the man is in a "guarded condition" after he was transferred to another government referral hospital.

"He was transferred to another referral hospital because there is a procedure he needs to undergo that cannot be done in the first referral hospital," said Vergeire. ''He is stable although in a guarded condition."

The patient's wife, a 59-year-old female, was also found to be positive of COVID-19 last Saturday after she manifested cough and was admitted at the RITM on March 5.

"Case number 6 is stable and remains at our referral hospital," said Vergeire.

The couple's children have been told to undergo home quarantine, she said.

"We already got their specimens and are just waiting for the laboratory test results," said Vergeire.

Last Friday, the DOH reported that the male, who has no known history of travel outside of the country, was found positive of COVID-19.

The patient, who also has hypertension and diabetes mellitus, experienced cough with phlegm last February 25.

He went to a hospital in Metro Manila last March 1 due to severe pneumonia, and was referred to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) .

His specimen was collected on March 4 and was tested positive for COVID-19 on March 5.

On Saturday, the DOH added he was also found to have acute kidney injury.

For the fourth confirmed case, a 48-year-old male, with travel history to Tokyo, Japan, Vergeire said his condition is stable condition.

"He is well and is being monitored at the referral hospital," said Vergeire.

The first three COVID-19 cases in the country involved Chinese tourists.

One of the three cases died in the country, while the two others have already returned to China. DMS