Zambo frontliner dies from suspected Covid-19

ZAMBOANGA CITY – A local medical frontliner suspected of contracting the new coronavirus disease, or Covid-19, died in hospital even before test results for the deadly respiratory disease could come out, officials announced Tuesday.

Mayor Beng Climaco said the patient was classified as person under investigation, or PUI - an individual who shows symptoms of cough, colds and fever with a travel or contact history to countries or person that is affected with Covid- 19, and being admitted in the hospital for observation.

“A PUI expired in a private hospital Monday night, April 6 while awaiting results of his confirmatory test for Covid infection,” she said without further elaborating.

“The City Government joins the family in mourning. Let us pray for the eternal repose of his soul, as we also pray for all the members of the medical community who are in the frontlines as well as all those afflicted with Covif-19, the PUIs and PUMs,” she added, referring to persons under monitoring.

The Department of Health in Zamboanga, or DOH, also confirmed this report and said the latest victim was a 38-year old medical frontliner from the village of Baliwasan. 

“The Department of Health Zamboanga Peninsula confirms the demise of one member of the medical community who is a Person under Investigation in Zamboanga City,” it said.

It said the patient came from Manila and arrived Zamboanga on March 11 and had completed his 14-day quarantine without any symptoms, but he was rushed to a private hospital on April 3 after exhibiting severe symptoms of fever and cough. And three days later, he complained of shortness of breath and eventually died.

“The Department of Health Zamboanga Peninsula – Center for Health Development expresses its deepest sympathy to his families and friends. We pray for the eternal repose of his soul and all of the members of the medical community who are frontliners of this Covid-19,” it said.

DOH also reported that a local woman who is also medical frontliner in Manila is tested positive for Covid-19 and the second Zamboanguena in Manila to have contracted the disease. Both of them have been included in the Covid list for Zamboanga City being local residents, although they live and work in Manila.

Just over the weekend, a 47-year old local man who travelled to Malaysia and returned home in Talon-Talon village, but later on transferred to the village of San Jose Gusu, is also tested positive for the disease and is the 4th infected with Covid-19 in Zamboanga.

The man, an Islamic missionary, is currently in hospital along with the others - a 30-year old woman in Tetuan village; a 48-year old woman from Tumaga village, and a 29-year old man from the village of Sinunuc.

Also on Sunday, a 25-year old man who was suffering from fever and body malaise died in his home in the village of Recodo, prompting village chieftain Wahab Iba to cordon the man’s house fearing the death was due to Covid-19. (Zamboanga Post)

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