SAN JOSE, Antique – The Starlite Ferries roll-on, roll-off (ro-ro) passenger who died at the provincial hospital in this town succumbed to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and not to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), clarified the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) of Antique.
The swab test result of the 45-year-old male was negative for COVID-19, said IPHO information officer Irene Dulduco.
Since the swab test result of the passenger was negative, the other passengers onboard the ro-ro has nothing more to worry about, she stressed.
“The 39 passengers coming home to Antique onboard Starlite with the demised passenger and who were advised to be on home quarantine until the swab result comes out should now feel relief,” Dulduco said, adding they are no longer required to be on home quarantine.
The man, who was dropped off by Starlite Ferries at Lipata Port in the town of Culasi on March 20 for medical treatment at the Culasi District Hospital, had tuberculosis and may have failed to take his medicines when he had an COPD attack onboard the ro-ro vessel on his way home to Negros Occidental from Batangas Port via Antique.
“Upon receiving the negative swab test result of the passenger, we again contacted his family in Manapla, Negros Occidental about their plan but was told to proceed with the burial because they did not have money to transport his cadaver,” Dulduco said.
The body was buried in San Jose public cemetery on Monday night. (PNA/PN)
