DOH confirms Cebu suspected nCoV case negative

The Department of Health (DOH) confirmed that a suspected case of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in Cebu City has tested negative.

A 5-year-old boy, who traveled to Cebu from China, was isolated in a hospital after exhibiting pneumonia-like symptoms.

The confirmatory test conducted by the Victorian Infectious Disease Reference Laboratory in Melbourne, Australia has cleared the child of novel coronavirus infection.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III stated that this news eases Filipinos' concern, and the DOH will continue to monitor the situation.

The child arrived in Cebu from Wuhan on Tuesday and tested positive for a coronavirus assay, prompting immediate hospitalization.

As per protocol, the child needed to test negative twice, 24 hours apart, before discharge.

The country remains free of nCoV infection.