Suspected MERS case in Laguna tests negative — DOH

By Analou De Vera

The Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday evening reported that the suspected case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in a hospital in Laguna tested negative.

Hospital workers and visitors wear facemask outside the Laguna Doctors Hospital in Sta. Cruz, Laguna Wednesday morning.
(ALI VICOY / MANILA BULLETIN)

“The patient tested negative for MERS- CoV,” said Health Undersecretary Rolando Enrique Domingo in a text message.

Domingo said that the patient is “being treated for pneumonia.”

As a precautionary measure, the emergency room of the Laguna Doctors Hospital in Sta. Cruz, Laguna, where the suspected MERS- CoV patient was first rushed, was temporarily closed earlier.

The 47-year-old patient, who arrive from Saudi Arabia, was later on brought to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine in Muntinlupa City for confirmatory test which yielded negative.

This was also confirmed by Glenn Ramos, public information officer of DOH-Calabarzon.

“Negative po ang lab result ng ating suspect MERS- CoV patient,” Ramos said also in a text message.