The Department of Health today confirms two cases of Filipinos tested and found to be carrying COVID-19 virus with the possibility of them contracting them locally.

Secretary Francisco Duque III says the two cases are being treated by health experts. Biological samples of blood and saliva are now enroute to Australia for further testing.

What is unique about these two cases is that they haven’t travelled abroad for quite some time and spent their time only locally. The first one, a 49-year old, was found to be positive of the virus and has a travel history to Japan.

The other case is somewhat mysterious even for Duque.

A 62-year old Filipino man with hypertension and diabetes mellitus experienced coughs and severe pneumonia last February 25. He went to the hospital for consultation and on March 5, the man was found positive of the COVID-19.

Duque was quoted as saying that the “patient has no known history of travel outside of the country,” which was interpreted largely as the possibility of human-to-human interaction in the country.

Speculations are rife that the man could have contracted the dreaded disease while frequenting a prayer room at the Greenhills shopping mall. San Juan mayor Zamora has just ordered the lockdown of the area while sanitation and disinfection teams work on the facilities of the shopping mall.