MANILA – The Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday reported that the total number of discharged patients under investigation (PUIs) went up to 629 from the previous 620.
The PUIs have been allowed to go home after being tested negative for the virus in two consecutive medical examinations, the DOH said.
The latest data from the agency's tracker showed that there are 37 PUIs admitted in different health facilities nationwide.
The DOH said the total number of PUIs has reached 669, including the three patients who tested positive for the disease.
They were the 44-year-old Chinese man who died on February 1, the 38-year-old Chinese woman who was discharged on Saturday, and the 60-year-old Chinese woman who returned to China on January 31.
The latest data from the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that there are 80,422 confirmed cases of Covid-2019 in China and 12,668 cases outside China.
The WHO said the total number of deaths in China has reached 2,984 while there are 214 recorded deaths outside China.
It added that Argentina, Chile, Poland, and Ukraine reported Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours.
On Wednesday, Health Francisco Duque III assured the public that the DOH has enough supply of personal protective equipment (PPEs) despite WHO's report of a global shortage of medical equipment to fight Covid-19
"We have processed the procurement of additional PPEs through the Philippine International Trading Corporation (PITC), and we're waiting for the delivery of the PPEs. They are important in the containment of Covid-19," Duque said.
He added there are 400,000 additional masks ready to be delivered by PITC.
"From a manufacturing company at Bataan Export Processing Zone, they have committed to sending two million masks and from development partners additional PPEs. We have enough budget to buy supplies, there's close to PHP530-million budget of the DOH that we can use while we're waiting for President Duterte for the approved budget," he said. (PNA)
