COVID-19 cases jump to 187, deaths now 14

March 18, 2020

Forty-five new cases of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) were confirmed on Tuesday afternoon by the Department of Health (DOH) to bring the country's total to 187.

One of the new cases was an official of the Department of Health.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said:"We have one Department official who tested positive. He is a director in our Central Office."  

She said the male DOH official is in good condition and is asymptomatic. 

Vergeire said it is not true an undersecretary also tested positive for COVID-19. 

On Tuesday night, the DOH said there were two more deaths reported to bring the country's total to 14 fatalities. Four have recovered from COVID-19.

The two additional fatalities  are Filipino men and have no history of travel and close contact with COVID-19 patients. 

The DOH said the first patient expired Tuesday afternoon due to Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) and severe pneumonia. 

The second, a 76-year-old man, was admitted at the Adventist Medical Center - Manila last March 9, and was confirmed positive for COVID-19 on March 15. 

He also has Type 2 diabetes and hypertensive cardiovascular disease.

Vergeire noted how majority of the profile of cases are between 29 to 59 years old. 

"We can already see a pattern that most of the cases are in the working age group," said Vergeire. DMS