FORMER Philippine President Joseph “Erap” Ejercito Estrada is reportedly free of COVID-19 after several days on a ventilator.
In a Facebook post, former Senator Jinggoy Estrada announced that his father tested negative for the virus with his condition continuing to improve.
“We are happy to announce that my dad continues to improve and we expect that he can be transferred to a regular room soon. His repeat RT-PCR (swab test) is now NEGATIVE,” he said on Tuesday, April 13.
“He is still on high flow oxygen support but at a much reduced rate. He has been allowed to resume soft diet,” the younger Estrada added.
According to Jinggoy, Estrada now appears to be in “good spirits.”
“Mentally, he is oriented, conversing normally and appears to be in good spirits,” he noted.
“Again, we thank everyone for their continuous support and love and ask that you continue to pray for him and others who are afflicted with this awful and dreaded disease,” added Jinggoy.
Estrada was rushed to the hospital on March 28 and tested positive for COVID-19.
He was said to be in “a stable condition,” but was sedated and moved to the intensive care unit on April 4.
On April 6, Estrada was placed on mechanical ventilation following the doctors’ recommendation “to improve oxygen delivery” and “prevent the tiring” of his respiratory system.
Three days later on April 9, he was removed from ventilator support and appeared to be responding well to treatment as his organ functions remained stable.
Estrada, 83, served as the country’s president from 1998 to 2001 until he was ousted after a series of protests on EDSA held from January 16 to 20, 2001 amid his trial for plunder charges.
He was convicted of plunder in 2007, but his successor former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo pardoned him.
Estrada also served as mayor of the city of Manila from 2013 to 2019.
Do we know what medication he was given at the hospital?