Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez yesterday warned the public against panic-buying for protective masks as the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) scare continues to spread following the discovery of the first case of the infection in the Philippines.
The masks have disappeared from shelves in many stores, snapped up by people who want protection from the virus that is transmitted through respiratory droplets.
Speaking to reporters at the National Press Club yesterday, Lopez also warned suppliers not to overprice their masks.
“Let’s not panic, in terms of supply. Because if we panic, stores could wind up running out of supplies. These stores are reordering the supplies. But they should also not raise prices, since the cost of production does not increase,” he said.
He said surgical masks should be sold at only P8 each, while N95 masks should not be sell for more than P100. Lopez also allayed concerns that some Chinese suppliers were hoarding the masks. “There is nothing to worry about in hoarding. Because there is no reason for them (suppliers) to hoard, because their prices are just the same,” he said.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared a world health emergency as the 2019 novel coronavirus acute respiratory disease, which started in Wuhan, China, last week has affected all of China and spread to other countries like the Philippines, the United States, Canada and in Europe.
The situation has prompted President Rodrigo Duterte to ban travellers from Hubei province and other places in China, Malacanang said yesterday.
In a statement, Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said Health Secretary Francisco Duque 3rd recommended to Duterte to deny entry to visitors from infected places in China.
“It will last until the threat is over given that that the safety of our countrymen is foremost in the president’s mind,” Panelo said.
The Department of Health (DoH) said the 38-year-old Chinese woman infected with the virus came from Wuhan, flew to Cebu from Hong Kong via Cebu Pacific, then from Cebu to Dumaguete City before taking a Philippine Airlines flight to Manila.
The woman is under isolation at the San Lazaro Hospital in Manila. Yesterday, the DoH also announced it was adding an American and a Chinese national to its list of Patients Under Investigation (PUI) for the Wuhan virus. The DoH is monitoring 31 PUIs. Twenty-five of them are under medical confinement, and five have been discharged but under strict monitoring.
Cebu Pacific yesterday said it has started contacting passengers who travelled on the same plane with the nCoV positive woman.
“We are in the process of contacting passengers seated in the vicinity of the positive nCoV patient and are taking the necessary precautions to inform them so they can have themselves checked in case they show flu-like symptoms,” the airline said in a statement yesterday.
“The cabin crew and pilots on affected flights have also been informed and show no symptoms of illness,” it added.
Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go said the president scheduled a meeting next week with medical experts and key government officials to discuss measures to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
“As part of our precautionary efforts, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has earlier stopped the issuance of visas-on-arrival to Chinese nationals.
The DFA also eventually temporarily stopped the issuance of visas to travellers from Hubei province, altogether,” Go said.
The chairman of the Senate health committee, Go said he would call a hearing on the matter on February 4.
“Let us not panic, but at the same time, let us take the threat seriously and co-operate with authorities in order to ensure the safety of Filipinos,” he said.
The Department of Education (DepEd) yesterday directed its officials in the virus-affected regions to co-operate with the DoH in tracing individuals who were in contact with and may have been exposed to the confirmed patient during her visit.
DepEd said Secretary Leonor Briones has been in direct communication with Duque as well as the health officers in the affected regions and communities visited by the confirmed patient since Thursday night.
DepEd said that tracking individuals who were in contact with the patient is “for the benefit not only of our schools and learners but of the communities as well.”
The Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) has also mobilised, advising shipowners and operators to take necessary measures to monitor nCoV.
The shipowners have been asked to report suspected nCoV cases, install necessary medical equipment, and equip officers and crew onboard ships with full information about the virus.
At the Supreme Court, Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta called on all court personnel to observe the proper hand and respiratory hygiene, and safe food practices.
“Court personnel are likewise encouraged to wear masks inside court rooms, halls of justice, and judiciary buildings, in the interest of everyone’s health,” Peral said in an advisory on the novel coronavirus for court personnel.
Senate President Vicente Sotto 3rd said the travel ban ordered by the president should be for all nationalities.
“All the nationalities coming from that area in China, in the meantime. If it gets worse, ban all coming from countries with nCoV,” Sotto said.
He said that even Filipinos who are in Wuhan should be covered by the ban, saying it’s safer for them to stay in lockdown there than come home and be discriminated upon by authorities and even their relatives.