MANILA, Philippines – Pasig City has reported an increase in its number of coronavirus cases on Tuesday, March 24.

As of Tuesday evening there were 26 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in the city, with 2 deaths, according to the Pasig Public Information Office, citing data from the Department of Health (DOH).

This was higher than the 14 cases mentioned by Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto in Malacañang’s televised Laging Handa media briefing on Monday morning, March 23. Sotto then said he expected the DOH to give him an updated tally of his city’s coronavirus cases later that day.

These figures denote the number of Pasig residents who’ve caught the disease, not coronavirus patients in hospitals located in the city.

Also on Tuesday, Pasig reported 88 current persons under monitoring (PUM) for the virus, and 97 current persons under investigation (PUI).

Some 29 PUMs and 15 PUIs in Pasig were earlier deemed free of the virus.

A PUI is someone who has two or all of the following: 

• History of travel in the past 14 days to countries with local transmissions and risk of importation of the virus
• History of exposure to a confirmed case
• Symptoms of respiratory illness (cough and/or colds) and/or fever

Meanwhile, a PUM is someone who has a history of travel to a virus-hit country or exposure to a coronavirus patient.

The local government has tapped Dahlia Hotel in the city’s motel strip as a quarantine facility that can take in 300 patients at once. It has been preparing another similar establishment for the same purpose.

The city’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office’s telephone hotline for reporting possible coronavirus cases is 8-643-0000. “Super Health Centers” are located in barangays Nagpayong, Santolan, San Joaquin, Manggahan, Sumilang, and Rosario.

The city government urges Pasigueños to be vigilant and stay home.

All in all, the Philippines as of Tuesday afternoon has recorded 552 confirmed cases of the virus, with 20 recoveries and 35 deaths. – Rappler.com