KEY POINTS

  • Philippines has confirmed its first case of novel coronavirus or 2019-nCoV
  • There are two patients under investigation (PUI) in Central Visayas and one unconfirmed cases each in Davao City, Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas and MIMAROPA regions
  • CDC reported there are 5 confirmed cases of 2019-nCoV in the United States

Local health officials confirmed the first case of the new coronavirus in the Philippines, Thursday.

Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque revealed, during a press conference, that a Chinese national was tested positive for the novel coronavirus, also called as 2019-nCoV. He said the 38-year-old woman arrived in the country from Wuhan, China from Hong Kong, on Jan. 21.

Duque added the patient, who was confined in an unnamed government hospital after experiencing mild cough, is, currently, asymptomatic. The woman, reportedly, has travel history in the cities of Cebu and Dumaguete.

Earlier this month, the government department reported that 23 persons are under investigation for the novel coronavirus after they showed flu-like symptoms. CNN Philippines reported that majority of them are in Metro Manila, including an HIV-positive patient who died due to pneumonia.

Two unconfirmed cases were reported in Central Visayas. There were also patients under investigation in Davao City, Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas and MIMAROPA regions.

Aside from the Philippines and China, there were cases recorded in nearby countries like Malaysia, Singapore, Taipei, Japan, Cambodia, Macau, Hong Kong, South Korea, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Thailand. There are also confirmed cases in Australia, France, Canada, Germany and United Arab Emirates.

In the United States, CDC confirmed there are 5 confirmed cases already – 1 in Illinois, 1 in Washington, 1 in Arizona and 2 in California. The nation’s health protection agency also revealed that, as of Jan. 29, there are 92 patients under investigation.

"We know that risk depends on exposure," Nancy Messonnier, MD, director of CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Disease, said on Monday. "We have a handful of patients, but at this time the virus is not spreading in the community. The immediate health risk to the general public in the US is low at this time,” she went on.

The coronavirus is another uncertainty for the global economic outlook and likely to cause disruption
The coronavirus is another uncertainty for the global economic outlook and likely to cause disruption AFP / Pedro PARDO
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