Three of the 13 persons under investigation (PUIs) for having symptoms of the novel coronavirus acute respiratory disease (2019-nCoV ARD) in Cagayan Valley have tested negative and have been discharged from the hospital on Sunday, the Department of Health-Cagayan Valley Center for Health Development reported.

After undergoing the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test, the three patients had been found negative of the 2019-nCoV. Two of the newly released patients are from this city and one came from Enrile town, said Dr. Rio Magpantay, Cagayan Valley regional health director.

Ten people, however, were added as PUIs in the region — nine were confined at the isolation room of the Cagayan Valley Medical Center (CVMC) and one was reported at the Southern Isabela Medical Center in Santiago City, a DOH report said.

Magpantay said, “The rise in the count of PUIs in the region is a result of our relentless efforts in surveillance by our Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, in close coordination with its counterparts in the provincial, city and municipal level.”

“The updates should not pose a cause for unnecessary panic, however, we should initiate positive change in our habits towards enriching ourselves to full health,” he said.

Dr. Glenn Mathew Baggao, CVMC hospital chief, said five of the new patients who have been suffering from high fever and cough are from Sanchez Mira while a patient each came from Tuao, Sto. Niño, Gattaran, and Iguig towns. Two were children.

Baggao did not release the travel history of the new patients as further details are still being gathered.

Being informed of the background of these PUIs, he urged the people to be cautious of their surroundings and maintain respect and not discrimination towards those who are in close proximity to our identified PUIs or those PUIs themselves, health officials added.

“With most information on the 2019 nCoV-ARD have yet to be established, we wish to echo the advisory of the department on public events and gatherings to particularly discourage attending, participating, and organizing such events that draw large numbers of people to gather in a single space; as with those persons with pending travel to China and its special administrative regions along with countries that have positive cases of the 2019-nCoV ARD, where if the nature of travel is not of absolute necessity, we advise these persons to postpone or cancel your itineraries until this global health concern is contained,” Magpantay said.

He urged the public to implement preventive measures on infection control, with emphasis on distancing one’s self from people with respiratory symptoms, use a face mask when necessary and maintain proper hygiene. (PNA)