DOH: Woman who has since returned to China is third nCoV case in Philippines

MANILA, Philippines (Updated 2:10 p.m.) — The third case of the novel coronavirus in the Philippines was confirmed on Wednesday afternoon by the Department of Health. 

According to Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo, a sample from a 60-year-old Chinese woman tested positive for 2019 nCoV. 

"The DOH confirms that a sample from a 60-year-old female tested postive of the 2019-nCoV. This is the third case of nCoV in the Philippines," Domingo said.

She had initially tested negative.

The woman has since returned to China, Domingo said, but the department has begun tracing those she came into contact with.

As of this writing, there are 133 recorded persons under investigation for the virus. Of these, 63 are Filipinos while 54 are Chinese.

Thirty-two of 133 of the currently recorded PUIs came from Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the virus, before coming to the Philippines.

The first two confirmed cases of novel coronavirus in the country also came from Wuhan, but came to the Philippines via Hong Kong. 

'Zero local transmission'

In an earlier press conference, the department said that because the confirmed cases came from Wuhan, there was still "zero local transmission" in the Philippines. 

"In the Philippines, all of the cases are now still imported," Domingo emphasized at Wednesday's briefing. 

Although the woman was initially observed to be asymptomatic, her latest test from the past 48 hours tested positive. 

Domingo confirmed that the woman arrived in Cebu City from Wuhan last January 20 and then proceeded to Bohol.

While in Bohol, the woman went to a private hospital there for fever on January 22.

Macalañang declared on Sunday, February 2, a temporary ban of all incoming travelers from the whole of China, Hong Kong and Macau, with the exception of Filipino passport holders.