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CODE RED: Philippines' coronavirus cases rise to six , DOH confirms local transmission
ABS-CBN News
A computer image created by Nexu Science Communication along side Trinity College in Dublin, shows a model structurally representative of a betacoronavirus which is that the sort of virus linked to COVID-19, better referred to as the coronavirus linked to the Wuhan outbreak, shared with Reuters 

MANILA (3rd UPDATE) - Philippine health authorities on Saturday raised Code Red because it confirmed another case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) within the wife of a patient earlier diagnosed with the infection, bringing the entire number of cases within the country to six .

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the alert level was raised as he confirmed the country's first case of local transmission within the 5th COVID-19 case, a 62-year-old man now affected by severe pneumonia.

Both of them are confined at the state-run Research Institute for medicine (RITM) in Alabang, Muntinlupa City.

A Code alert means all hospital personnel are required to report for duty in their respective facilities to supply medical services.

Duque said the alert was at Code Red, Sub-Level 1.

"The DOH confirms that the previously reported 5th case of COVID-19 because the first case of local transmission within the country after verification with BI, showed that patient had no recent travel history," said Duque during a press briefing.

"DOH also reports that patients' wife tested positive for COVID-19 after contact-tracing activities were prompted. This brings total number of COVID cases within the country to six ," he said.

The woman, 59, experienced cough and admitted to the RITM, the health chief said. She is currently in stable condition.

Her husband, the 5th COVID-19 case, has no history of travel outside the Philippines. He had coughs last Feb. 25 and was admitted at the private hospital Cardinal Santos center in San Juan City on March 1 with severe pneumonia. He tested positive on March 5.

The man, who also suffers from hypertension and diabetes, frequented a Muslim prayer hall in San Juan . The worshipers during this prayer hall experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 are asked to call the Department of Health hotline (02) 8651 7800 local 1149 o 1150 for referral to a clinic .

The first 3 COVID-19 cases within the Philippines involved Chinese nationals with history of visit Wuhan, China, epicenter of the outbreak. one among them died of severe pneumonia on Feb. 1 while two recovered and have returned home.

The fourth case, a 48-year-old Filipino man, had traveled to Japan, which has recorded 349 confirmed cases and 6 deaths from the illness.

CODE RED

Duque said raising the coronavirus aware of Code Red, Sub-Level 1 is "a preemptive call to make sure national and native government and public and personal healthcare providers can steel oneself against possible increase in suspected and confirmed cases."

He said the upper Sub-Level 2 may only be raised if there are "established community transmissions" or unlinked clusters of cases."