BY IME SORNITO and RUBY SILUBRICO
ILOILO City – The Western Visayas Medical Center sub-national laboratory here and the Teresita Jalandoni Provincial Hospital Molecular Laboratory in Silay City, Negros Occidental recorded a combined 10 new cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) yesterday, one of them a policeman under the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO).
This was the second highest number of cases detected in a day in the region; the first was on May 6 when 11 cases were recorded, according to the Department of Health (DOH) Region 6.
The COVID-positive policeman, meanwhile, was the third such case in the ICPO. He was a 38-year-old male. A native of San Carlos City, Pangasinan, he arrived here early this week only. The two other COVID-positive ICPO cops were a 32-year-old male from La Paz district and a 22-year-old male from Lambunao, Iloilo.
Another positive case detected yesterday was a 34-year-old male driver from Cebu City. DOH-6 described him as a “transient locally stranded individual.” He and the policeman were thus not included by DOH-6 in the total tally of confirmed COVID-19 cases of the region – now at 164.
But both are now under quarantine, according to Dr. Marie Jocelyn Te, DOH-6’s medical coordinator for emerging and reemerging infectious diseases.
The eight other new COVID-positive cases recorded yesterday were the following:
* 38-year-old female from Bacolod City (Patient 157), locally stranded individual (LSI)
* 30-year-old male from Hinigaran, Negros Occidental (Patient No. 158), LSI
* 37-year-old male from Bacolod City (Patient No. 159), repatriated overseas Filipino worker (OFW)
* 40-year-old male from Bacolod City (Patient No. 160), OFW
* 38-year-old male from Bacolod City (Patient No. 161), OFW
* 35-year-old-male from Bacolod City (Patient No. 162), OFW
* 44-year-old male from Oton, Iloilo (Patient No. 163), OFW
* 25-year-old male from Miag-ao (Patient No. 164), OFW
All the new cases were asymptomatic, said Te.
Of the 164 cases in the region, 106 already recovered while 11 died, said Te, leaving the number of active cases at 47 as of yesterday.
Here’s the breakdown of the 164 cases – Aklan, six; Antique, 14; Capiz, six; Guimaras, zero; Iloilo province, 23; Negros Occidental, three; Bacolod City, 11; Iloilo City, 20; and Repatriates, 81.
Te reminded Western Visayans to observe minimum public health safety protocols – the wearing of facemask, observing physical distancing and handwashing.
She said COVID-19 can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth which are spread when an infected person coughs or exhales.
These droplets also land on objects and surfaces around the person. Other people then catch COVID-19 by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth.
The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, tiredness, and dry cough.
Some patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhea. These symptoms are usually mild and begin gradually. Some people become infected but don’t develop any symptoms and don’t feel unwell./PN
