Filipina nurse from Saudi Arabia negative for MERS-CoV

MANILA, Philippines - The Filipina nurse who was initially diagnosed with the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-Corona Virus (MERS-CoV) in Saudi Arabia tested negative for the disease in the Philippines, the Department of Health (DOH) announced on Friday.

Dr. Lyndon Lee Suy, DOH spokesperson, said the confirmatory tests done by the Philippines' Research Institute for Tropical Medicine yielded negative results.

"What's good about this is that when there's a negative case, there's no way for the infection to be transmitted," Suy said at a televised press briefing.

Earlier this week, the DOH said the 37-year-old nurse identified as "AP" tested positive for MERS-CoV in Dammam on Aug. 25.

She arrived in the country on August 29 via a Saudi Airlines flight SV870 and was confined at the Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City.

Suy said the nurse will be discharged from the hospital today while all activities for contact-tracing will be terminated.

"We can safely say that as of now, the Philippines remains to be MERS-CoV free," Suy said.