ALMOST nine of 10 Filipinos were worried about them or a family member catching the novel coronavirus, greater than in past outbreaks, according to a Social Weather Stations (SWS) poll, as infections topped 14,000.

Compared with past SWS polls, worry about catching the COVID-19 virus at 87% was greater than worries about catching ebola at 82% in 2014, swine flu at 82% in 2009, bird flu at 83% in 2006 and 80% in 2004, and severe acute respiratory syndrome at 78% in 2003, it said in a statement on Sunday.

Worry about catching the COVID-19 virus was also higher among Filipinos than among Britons, Australians and Americans, based on similar polls, it added.

The Roy Morgan Research online polls in March found that 78% of Britons and 75% of Australians said they were afraid of getting infected with the coronavirus.

The ABC News/Ipsos poll this month found that 79% of Americans said they were concerned that they or someone they know would get the virus.

SWS said 94% of Filipino were aware of COVID-19 symptoms, most commonly fever and cough.

Worries about catching the virus hardly varied in areas under enhanced or general lockdown. Worries about catching the virus were higher in Metro Manila at 93% and the Visayas at 91%, compared with Mindanao at 85% and balance of Luzon at 84%, according to the poll.

SWS interviewed 4,010 people by phone on May 4 to 10 for the poll, which had an error margin of ±2 points.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health reported 258 new infections yesterday, bringing the total to 14,035.

The death toll rose to 868 after five more patients died, it said in a bulletin. Seventy-two more patients have gotten well, bringing the total recoveries to 3,249, it added.

Of the 258 new cases, 195 came from Metro Manila and 51 from the rest of the country. Twelve were returning Filipino workers from overseas. — Gillian M. Cortez and Vann Marlo M. Villegas

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