Image: Instagram/@maricareyespoon
Actress Maricar Reyes called on Filipinos to raise awareness amid the global outbreak of the novel coronavirus or 2019-nCoV, which has so far two confirmed cases in the country.
Reyes, a medical licensure exam passer but a non-practicing doctor, urged the public to “keep calm” and visit the Department of Health (DOH) website (doh.gov.ph) for information.
“Keep calm and visit the DOH website for updates,” she said via Instagram today, Feb. 4, uploading a set of infographics. “Sundan ang payo ng mga doktor para ligtas tayong lahat.” (Follow the instructions of doctors so we would all be safe.)
“Kung wala kang sakit (If you are not sick), handwashing and keeping clean is more important than a facemask. #2019nCoV,” she added.
The infographics on the 2019-nCoV stated that during the 2003 outbreak of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), the Philippines recorded the lowest numbers of those affected.
The Philippines recorded a total of 14 cases of SARS infection, the lowest of 30 affected countries, while two people died, World Health Organization data showed. SARS, which also originated from China, claimed the lives of 774 people in China and Hong Kong alone.
“Gumawa and DOH ng mga programa at sumisikap silang maulit o higitan pa and SUCCESS nila noon,” Reyes noted. “Ipagdasal natin ang mga duktor at opisyal na sila ay making ligtas at lalo silang gumaling sa kanilang trabaho. #ParaSaBayan.”
(The DOH created programs and they are now trying to replicate or even surpass their success back then. Let us pray for the doctors and officials that they stay safe and be better in doing their jobs.)
Reyes also shared “facts on the [first] 2019-nCoV death in [the Philippines],” which claimed that the 38-year-old Chinese woman from Wuhan, the epicenter of the virus, is continuously getting better. The woman is tagged as the first case of the 2019-nCoV in the country.
The woman’s partner, a 44-year-old Chinese man also from Wuhan, died on Feb. 1 due to pneumonia caused by the 2019-nCoV and is set to be cremated today. He is the first death outside of China related to the virus.
China has recorded at least 490 2019-nCoV deaths, as of writing. The virus has so far infected over 20,000 people worldwide. JB
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