KORONADAL CITY (MindaNews / 28 March) — Another person under investigation (PUI) for the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) died in South Cotabato, bringing the total deaths to six so far in Region 12 or Soccsksargen, the Department of Health-12 said.
The newest fatality was a 72-year-old female who died on March 26 while awaiting confirmatory results, the DOH-12’s Center for Health Development said.
The patient, who had no travel history to places with COVID-19 confirmed cases, died due to septic shock and hypoxia secondary to severe pneumonia, it added.
As of 5 p.m. March 27, the number of PUIs had reached 130, including the six deaths, 25 still admitted, 28 discharged and 71 on home quarantine.
Three of those who died were from South Cotabato.
For the entire Region 12, three confirmed COVID-19 cases were recorded — PH145, a 32-year-old Muslim leader who has recovered and has been discharged from a hospital in Cotabato City; PH599, a 68-year-old female from Cotabato City under home quarantine; and PH600, an 87-year-old male from Sultan Kudarat province.
PH600 was a PUI who died on March 14 before the results came out that he tested positive for COVID-19.
As for persons under monitoring (PUMs), the region has 4,135 cases under home quarantine.
Soccsksargen straddles the provinces of South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong and Kidapawan.
Cotabato City voted inclusion to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) last year but has yet to be formally turned over to the BARMM. The DOH-12 still includes Cotabato City in its reporting.
(Bong S. Sarmiento / MindaNews)