Philippines

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said Tuesday that the government would allocate more than P2 billion for the procurement of protective gear for health workers and an additional P10 million for face mask supplies in the country. Advertisement During a Senate hearing on the government’s readiness for the possible spread of 2019 novel coronavirus acute respiratory disease in the Philippines, …

President Rodrigo Duterte has asked private hospitals to help stem the spread of the country’s novel coronavirus. He made an appeal during a meeting in Malacañang with top government officials and health experts. The President also called on private hospitals to help the government counter the epidemic by treating patients seeking treatment after hearing reports that some private institutions refuse …

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has placed eight barangays of Don Marcelino, Davao Occidental on lockdown to prevent the spread of African swine fever which kills pigs. In addition to these eight barangays, Dar also reported that seven barangays are under surveillance in Malita, including in Davao Occidental. At least 1,000 pigs already died at Don Marcelino because of ASF …

Thirty persons under investigation (PUIs) in the Philippines have tested negative for the deadly virus based on confirmatory tests for potential novel coronavirus infection. Duque said the country has reported 80 PUIs so far — including the first two confirmed cases, the 30 that tested negative and 48 others that are pending laboratory test results. The increase in the number …

Last year, the African Swine Fever which hit swine farms in Central Luzon and Metro Manila made its way to Mindanao and reportedly killed a thousand pigs in a town in Davao Occidental. In a memorandum released January 31, Don Marcelino City Mayor Michael Maruya said ASF’s continued occurrence has triggered “mortality of more or less 1,000 swine heads.” Linadasan, …

On Friday, the governor of Negros Oriental said all tourists from mainland China will have to undergo a 14-day quarantine upon arrival in the province. This, after officials confirmed that the first case of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in the Philippines recently visited the provincial city of Dumaguete. In the quarantine order Gov. Roel Degamo also included travelers from …

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez cautioned retailers of face masks and disinfectants against manipulating the novel coronavirus scare and rising prices as customers flock to shops in the midst of the virus threat. Following Department of Health (DOH) confirmation that a Chinese woman was testing positive for the novel coronavirus, people began flocking pharmacies to buy face masks and disinfectants, causing …

President Rodrigo Duterte has placed a ban on tourists from China’s Hubei province and from other Chinese areas affected by the novel coronavirus (nCoV) Panelo released the statement a day after the Health Department (DOH) announced the country’s first nCoV event— a 38-year-old woman from Wuhan City, China. Wuhan is a town in province Hubei. Less than a day after …

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo stated that President Rodrigo Duterte’s ban on Cabinet members traveling to the United States includes personal and family trips. Panelo said Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro Locsin Jr. is being exempted from the ban. One day after Duterte imposed the ban on travel to the US, Panelo revealed the specifics of the embargo. Duterte confirmed that …

Further patients have been referred to the San Lazaro Hospital for screening to decide if they will fall under the category of individual under investigation (PUI) for suspected novel coronavirus (nCoV) infection. San Lazaro Hospital spokeswoman Dr. Ferdinand de Guzman said on Thursday that the hospital was providing further referrals to screen patients based on nCoV checklist from the Department …