Malunggay Has Properties Proven To Help Fight Deadly Coronavirus

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Thursday, January 30, confirmed a 38-year-old Chinese female is the first case of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCov) in the country.

In a press briefing, Secretary Duque said the laboratory results of the patient arrived on Thursday from the Victorian Infectious Disease Reference Laboratory in Melbourne, Australia.

“The confirmed case arrived in the Philippines from Wuhan, China via Hong Kong last January 21, 2020. The patient sought to consult and was admitted to one of the country’s government hospitals last January 25 after experiencing mild cough,” Secretary Duque said.

The health secretary reported that the patient is “currently asymptomatic with no fever and no signs and symptoms of any illness”.

Secretary Duque assured the public that DOH is on top of the situation and is in close coordination with the other government agencies and the World Health Organization.


“We are working closely with the hospital where the patient is admitted and have activated the Incident Command System of the said hospital for appropriate management, specifically infection control, case management, and containment,” he said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most people get infected with coronaviruses with symptoms ranging from typically mild to moderate and it can cause lower-respiratory tract illnesses like pneumonia and bronchitis in some cases.

The CDC added such viruses are common among animals but can evolve and spread from animals to humans, hence, the existence of SARS and MERS coronaviruses.

In a health advisory, the DOH said its symptoms include cough and colds, fever, difficulty in breathing and shortness of breath.

Aside from pneumonia and bronchitis, the DOH said its symptoms could lead to kidney problems and even death.

Further, the health secretary urges the public to stay calm and remain vigilant at all times and continue to practice good personal hygiene and adopt healthy lifestyles.

“Precautionary measures such as eating rich in Vitamins A, C, E and zinc minerals should be followed,” Secretary Duque said.

“You should also drink plenty of fruit juice and put malunggay in soup or any food,” he added.

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The humble malunggay may not be top of mind when it comes to vegetables, but this leafy green veggie boasts of many health and medicinal benefits.

Studies have shown that malunggay can be used to treat a number of illnesses as it reportedly prevents 300 diseases, hence it is dubbed as “the miracle vegetable” and the “wonder tree.”

Malunggay leaves are good for headache, bleeding from a shallow cut, bacterial and fungal skin complaints, anti-inflammatory gastric ulcers, diarrhea, and malnutrition.

This is one reason why the government has used malunggay in its feeding and nutrition programs to strengthen the immune system and fight off disease.

Malunggay is an exceptionally good source of provitamin A, vitamins B and C, minerals (in particular iron), and the sulfur-containing amino acids methionine and cystine.

READ MORE: Indonesian Researchers Discover Possible Coronavirus Treatment Found In Guava

Source: DOH