Suspected COVID-19 patient dies before test results

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 21) — A 65-year-old male employee of the House of Representatives died Saturday while waiting for his COVID-19 test results at a hospital in Quezon City, House Secretary General Jose Luis Montales has disclosed.

Montales said the employee went to St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City on March 10 after manifesting low grade fever. He was sent home after yielding normal results on tests done on him.

On March 11, he developed dry cough and his fever persisted. He went back to St. Lukes two days later after his condition worsened.

He was then put in a critical care unit, intubated, and tested for COVID-19. As of Wednesday morning, the results had not come out.

The employee had no travel history to a country with a confirmed COVID-19 case, and no known exposure to a confirmed case, Montales said.

Meanwhile, two House employees have been previously diagnosed with COVID-19. One of them died on March 15.