Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — The Department of Health (DOH) confirmed on Saturday (October 3) that a Saudi national suspected of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) died on September 29 at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Muntinlupa City.
DOH Secretary Janette Garin, however, refused to name the 36-year-old patient.
She also refused to reveal when the Saudi national arrived and where he stayed in the country.
Aside from signs and symptoms of MERS, the patient also showed indication of Myocardial Infarction, more commonly known as heart attack.
The DOH has already tracked people who were exposed to the foreigner — 55 hospital staff, 16 hotel staff, and three funeral parlor personnel.
Of these 74 people, only 12 health workers who took care of the patient showed some symptoms as of Friday night, although they yielded negative to MERS-CoV infection.
They are currently admitted at the RITM and the San Lazaro Hospital for further observation and quarantine.
“We are trying to locate four contacts of this foreigner when he was here. Lahat ng 12, yielded to negative result pero dahil maaga pa, mananatili sila sa facilities ng DOH. They will be quarantined until October 13,” Garin said.
DOH reminded the public to always observe proper hygiene and to report anyone who shows symptoms of MERS, especially those who travelled to the Arabian Peninsula, while travelers who just arrived in the Philippines must always fill out the health declaration form.
