ILOILO City – Sixty-six Western Visayans have now died from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
The Department of Health (DOH) Region 6 recorded six new deaths over the weekend – two each from Iloilo province, Iloilo City and Bacolod City.
Bacolod City has the highest number of deaths so far at 20, followed by Iloilo City (19) and IIoilo province (13).
Negros Occidental recorded seven deaths, Capiz four and Aklan one.
Two other deaths were tagged by DOH-6 as “Returning Overseas Filipinos / Locally Stranded Individuals / Authorized Persons Outside Residence”.
The provinces of Antique and Guimaras still have no COVID-19 deaths.
As of Aug. 29, the total COVID-19 cases in the region reached 4,253 (1,948 active, 2,239 recovered).
One of the six new deaths in the region was a resident of San Enrique, Iloilo – a 57-year-old male.
The man died at the Western Visayas Medical Center (WVMC) in Iloilo City on Aug. 28, said Mayor Rosario Mediatrix Fernandez.
“This was a local case. The patient was sickly. He was undergoing dialysis twice a week at WVMC for quite some time already,” she said.
The patient, a resident of Barangay Imbang Pequeño, San Enrique, had no history of travel to areas with COVID-19 cases except for his trips to WVMC for dialysis.
“His COVID-19 virus might be hospital-acquired,” according to Fernandez.
She ordered her municipal health team headed by Dr. Cecile Apalacio to conduct contact tracing. Five members of the patient’s family was swabbed. As this was being written, their test results were yet to be released.
The mayor also locked down residential subdivision Fernandez Village in Barangay Imbang Pequeño to restrict the movements of residents there just in case they have exposure to the patient.
The lockdown would be lifted only after the test results of the patient’s family members have been released and they are negative for COVID-19.
San Enrique’s first COVID-19 casualty was a 69-year-old man. He died at WVMC on Aug. 23.
On Aug. 25, a 92-year-old male resident died of suspected COVID-19 but his test results were yet to be released as this was being written.
He was a close contact of the 69-year-old man who died, said Fernandez.
The mayor issued an appeal to her constituents.
“Palihog mag-aligmat sa possible symptoms. If may fever, cough, sore throat, loose bowel, headaches, body aches in any of your family members, please contact our health office immediately,” said Fernandez.
She further reminded them to observe health safety protocols – wear facemask and face shield, observe physical distancing and wash hands with disinfectant or soap and water.
“Ang suporta kag pag-ugyun sang tagsa ka pumuluyo naton importante gid para kita mangin madinalag-on sa sini nga pakig-away,” said Fernandez.
As of Saturday, Aug. 29, San Enrique had 17 COVID-19 cases (two active, two deaths, 13 recovered)./PN
