Five Filipinos from quarantined cruise ship show COVID-19 symptoms

February 28, 2020

Five repatriates from the Diamond Princess cruise ship quarantined at the New Clark City (NCC) in Tarlac have showed symptoms of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), according to the Department of Health (DOH). 

In a press conference Friday, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the five Filipinos began showing signs of respiratory illness on Wednesday after they arrived  at the quarantine facility Tuesday night. 

"These repatriates are now categorized as Patients Under Investigation (PUI) and were transferred to a referral hospital for isolation and appropriate medical management," said Duque. 

He said the first three cases, all males, are a 39-year old, who experienced cough, and a 34-year-old and a 27-year old, who both complained of throat discomfort. 

Duque said they don't have fever, with two having tested negative at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine. 

Duque said the DOH has just received information that there are two more repatriates, who were brought to a referral health facility on Friday. 

No other details were made available, as of press time, on the two additional cases except that they manifested of sore throats.

"We assure the public that our referral hospitals are well-equipped and prepared to handle COVID-19 cases once they arise," said Duque. 

On the other hand, the health chief disclosed that eight of the 80 Filipinos on board MV Diamond Princess cruise ship, who tested positive of COVID-19, have already returned home in the country. 

And according to Duque, they will not be required to undergo the mandatory 14-day quarantine period at the NCC. 

"They are back in the Philippines. And since they have tested negative following the Japan protocol, I believe that they need not be quarantined. However, they have to be monitored closely by our local epidemiology surveillance officers," he stressed. 

Duque said one of the other two discharged Filipinos reportedly went to Singapore, while the second one remains in Japan. 

To recall, a total of 80 Filipinos from the cruise ship tested positive of COVID-19, with 70 still admitted in hospitals in Japan, while the remaining 10 have already been discharged. DMS