The Department of Health (DOH) disclosed more information on the travel history and hospital confinement of the 38-year-old Chinese woman who tested positive for the 2019 novel coronavirus.
DOH evaded on Thursday discussing details about the first case of the feared coronavirus in the Philippines.
On Friday, DOH decided to reveal them as to allay concerns that they are withholding vital information of public interest.
“I don’t think there is any harm in disclosing. It puts to rest a lot of speculation,” Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo said in a press briefing.
The patient is from Wuhan, the ground zero of the outbreak, and she traveled to the Philippines via a Hong Kong flight.
She is currently confined in an isolation area at San Lazaro hospital in Manila, DOH confirmed.
The disclosure of the name of the health institution was meant to stop fear and panic of patients in other hospitals in Metro Manila, DOH added.
Domingo also revealed that the woman visited the country with her boyfriend, who is also under close monitoring at San Lazaro, for a tour.
The patient boarded a Cebu Pacific flight from Hong Kong to Cebu on January 21st. They took another Cebu Pacific flight from Cebu to Dumaguete.
Then she took a Philippine Airlines flight from Dumaguete to Manila on January 25th.
In a statement, Cebu Pacific said they already pulled out the aircrafts for disinfection.
“To reduce the risk of infection across all of our flights, we are implementing preventive measures like cleaning and disinfection of aircraft in between flights,” the statement read.
“We are in the process of contacting passengers seated in the vicinity of the positive NCoV patient and are taking the necessary precautions to inform them so they can have themselves checked in case they show flu-like symptoms,” it added.
READ MORE: Cebu Pacific pulls out aircrafts used by Chinese woman who tested positive for nCoV
PAL, on the other hand, said that they have put their flight and cabin crew on quarantine and disinfected the aircraft used by the patient.
“We are cooperating fully with the DOH and the Bureau of Quarantine in the process of contacting passengers on the said flight, in accordance with established safety protocols for dealing with a case of this nature. We have provided the BOQ with the necessary flight manifest data accordingly,” the airline said in a statement.
READ MORE: PAL quarantines pilots, cabin crew on flight used by first novel coronavirus patient in PH
The airline also ensures a more intensive cleaning and disinfection process for the aircraft that they use on routes to and from China.
Both airlines also reduced flights to and from China, Hong Kong and Macau.
AT A GLANCE
Patient: 38-year-old Chinese woman
Origin: Wuhan City, China
Flight details:
Cebu Pacific: Hong Kong to Cebu (January 21)
Cebu Pacific: Cebu to Dumaguete (January 22)
Philippine Airlines: Dumaguete to Manila (January 25)
Confinement: San Lazaro Hospital, Manila
Status: Recovering as of Friday morning
Praying for all’s best!! ??