ILOILO – A 60-year-old man and his 59-year-old wife from Concepcion town tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
They may have contracted the virus at the Western Visayas Medical Center (WVMC) in Mandurriao, Iloilo City, according to Mayor Raul Banias.
“Mataas ang viral load sang mga wards sa WVMC tuga sang madamo nga COVID-19-positive cases nga na-admit,” said Banias, a medical doctor.
The husband was admitted at WVMC on Aug. 9 for his twice weekly dialysis. His wife accompanied him there.
Banias said the couple’s test results did not surprise him. The husband was already immuno-compromised due to renal failure, he pointed out, while the wife was a close contact.
In August, the husband was subjected to reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test several times and the result was negative for COVID-19 every time. A Sept. 3 test, however, turned positive for the disease.
The wife was tested that day, too, and the result was also positive for COVID-19.
“Ang mga comfort rooms (at WVMC) is common sa tanan nga pasyente kag bantay. Nalatnan gid sila nga duha despite sang ila paghalong,” said Banias.
He ordered his Municipal Health Office personnel to identify all WVMC dialysis patients from Concepcion and swab them for COVID testing.
As of Sept. 5, Concepcion recorded 19 cumulative COVID cases – six active and 13 already recovered.
The six active cases were composed of four local cases and two locally stranded individuals./PN
