ILOILO City – Two policemen. One resident of Igbaras, Iloilo. One repatriated overseas worker. One newly-returned stranded resident. These were the six new confirmed cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Western Visayas.
They brought to 153 the total number of cases in the region, according to Dr. Marie Jocelyn Te, medical coordinator for emerging and reemerging infectious diseases of the Department of Health (DOH) Region 6.
The two police men were a 32-year-old male from La Paz district here (Patient No. 149) and a 22-year-old male from Lambunao, Iloilo (Patient No. 151). Both belonged to the Mandurriao district police station.
They were asymptomatic and now on quarantine, said Te.
The policemen were among the several frontliners that the city government subjected to reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test on June 8.
Patient No. 149’s specific assignment was Q. Abeto Street in Mandurriao while Patient No. 151, the Mandurriao Public Market and later at Smallville Complex.
Te said yesterday contact tracing was immediately launched.
Meanwhile, the COVID-positive Igbaras resident was a 33-year-old male personnel of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Region 6 temporarily assigned in the town to help in the distribution of the Social Amelioration Program emergency cash assistance.
According to Mayor Jaime Esmeralda, this personnel was one of around 40 persons tested on June 8 following the positive test result of a Sangguniang Bayan member.
The three other cases confirmed yesterday were the following:
* 50-year-old male from Mandurriao, Iloilo City (Patient No. 150), a locally stranded individual
* 35-year-old male from Binalbagan, Negros Occidental (Patient No. 152), a repatriated overseas worker
* 46-year-old male from San Carlos City, Negros Occidental (Patient No. 153), a repatriated overseas worker
Despite the increase in COVID cases, according to Te, the region currently has only 39 active cases left because 103 already recovered. Eleven, on the other hand, died.
Here’s the breakdown of the 153 cases:
* Aklan – six
* Antique – 14
* Capiz – six
* Guimaras – zero
* Iloilo province – 23
* Negros Occidental – three
* Bacolod City – 11
* Iloilo City – 20
* repatriates – 70
COVID-19 is the infectious disease caused by the most recently discovered coronavirus. This new virus and disease were unknown before the outbreak began in Wuhan, China in December 2019.
People can catch COVID-19 from others who have the virus. The disease can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth which are spread when a person with COVID-19 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./PN
