Manila: A Filipina nurse who was the Philippines’ first case of the deadly MERS-CoV, has been discharged from the hospital after showing signs of steady recovery.

The patient, who was not named in accordance with strict government protocols on identification of persons afflicted with highly transmissible diseases, was allowed to go home Friday. The confirmed carrier of the virus was permitted to stay with her family after spending nearly three weeks in confinement at a government treatment facility, the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Alabang Southern Metro Maila, Secretary Janet Loreto-Garin of the Department of Health said.

“We are happy to announce the Filipina nurse was discharged from hospital,” she said.

During confinement at the RITM, the infected nurse was isolated in a negative pressure room to prevent contamination of other patients in the hospital while individuals the had been in contact with since she came home to the Philippines from Saudi Arabia, where he had worked, was monitored for symptoms of the respiratory disease. Also under watch was the more than 200 people she was together with in the same Saudia Airlines flight last February 1. Fortunately, no one has reported being infected so far except for the nurse.

Garin said the successful containment and prevention of the spread of Mers proved that measures enforced by the Philippine government were working, but she said as an extra assurance, “we will still be observing the patient within that period in compliance with the health protocol.”

The patient had been exposed to Mers patients while at work at a hospital in Saudi Arabia. She is also currently six to seven weeks pregnant and there are concerns about the effect on the child she is carrying.

“She was advised to seek immediate treatment consultations to ensure her safety and also the baby,” Garin said.

Mers is a highly-transmissible respiratory disease that manifests itself through symptoms such as fever, coughing and shortness of breath, according to the World Health Organisation.

As of February 5, 356 of the 971 of confirmed cases of the disease have died.

The health department advised Filipinos returning to the Philippines from the Middle East to immediately report any symptoms of the disease upon arrival.

“To date, there is no more active case of Mers in the Philippines, but we still need to be vigilant and on guard,” Garin said.