By Cristina Eloisa Baclig/DMS

The Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday confirmed the first case of the novel coronavirus (nCoV 2019) in the Philippines.

“Today the DOH is confirming that a 38 year-old female Chinese patient under investigatioin (PUI) is positive for the novel corona virus 2019 -NCoV after her lab results returned today from the Victorian Infectious Disease Reference Laboratory in Melbourne, Australia,” Health Secretary Francisco Duque III announced in a press briefing.

Duque said the Chinese woman arrived in the country from Wuhan through Hong Kong in January 21, 2020. After experiencing mild cough, she sought consultation “in one of the country’s government hospitals” four days later.

Duque said the patient is currently asymptomatic, which means the patient does not have symptoms suggesting illness.

He urged Filipinos to remain calm and vigilant, stressing they must wash their hands often and take vitamins, especially zinc.

Based on DOH  data, there are 29 patients under investigation for the novel corona virus.

Eighteen are from Metro Manila, four in Central Visayas, three in Western Visayas, one in Mimaropa, one one Eastern Visayas, one in Northern Visayas, and one in Davao.

Only 23 patients under investigation are still confined in hospitals, five were discharged but still under monitoring. One patient died on Wednesday, but he had HIV/AIDS and tests have not come in if he had the novel coronavirus.