The government-run Zamboanga City Medical Center (ZCMC) has confirmed that a new patient under investigation (PUI) for coronavirus 2019 (Covid-19) is under its care.

Dr. Afdal Kunting, ZCMC information officer, said Tuesday the patient is a Filipino female in her 20s. The PUI here, who is married to a Malaysian, is suffering from chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Kunting said the patient has been admitted in an isolation room of the ZCMC “for five days now.” The patient came to the city from Malaysia for a medical procedure.

“Initially, she did not manifest any symptoms but it developed later that’s why we feel that possibly it is not Covid-16 but complication of CKD,” Kunting said.

He said the health condition of the patient is unstable as her creatinine is high.

The city’s Task Force on Covid-19 announced that there are 12 PUIs and 119 persons under monitoring (PUM) as of March 16, with no confirmed case yet.

PUIs are those who have travel history to China, exposure to a confirmed case or visited a health facility with a confirmed case, and with respiratory symptoms such as cough, colds, and fever.

PUMs are persons who have traveled to China or had exposure to those with confirmed Covid-19 but show no signs and symptoms of the disease. They are asked to be home quarantined for 14 days. (PNA)