5 PUIs in Dumaguete test negative for nCoV

Four out of eight persons under investigation (PUIs) for possible novel coronavirus (nCoV) infection in Dumaguete City have tested negative in their initial swab tests.

Three of these negative PUIs had direct contact with an infected Chinese couple who previously traveled to the area, while one had a travel history to Hong Kong.

The fifth PUI also tested negative for the nCoV based on the results of throat swab samples sent to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM).

These individuals will still need to undergo a second round of swab tests to confirm they are cleared of the virus before being released.

The other three PUIs in Dumaguete are still waiting for their laboratory results.

The first two confirmed nCoV cases in the Philippines were Chinese tourists who traveled from Hong Kong to Cebu and Dumaguete, with one later dying and becoming the first non-Chinese fatality.

The novel coronavirus threat has significantly impacted the tourism industry in Dumaguete and other parts of Negros Oriental due to the travel ban imposed on visitors from China, Hong Kong, and Macau.