DOH-8 confirms 6th COVID-19 case in Region 8

PALO, Leyte, April 21 ( PIA) — Regional Director Minerva P. Molon of the Department of Health in Eastern Visayas (DOH-8) has confirmed on Monday the 6th COVID-19 positive case in the region. 

The patient is a 60-year-old woman from Tarangnan, Samar with history of exposure and close contact with COVID-19 patients 3 and 4, her colleagues at the Tarangnan Community Hospital.   

In a Virtual Presser held Monday by DOH-8, Molon said the patient, who is asthmatic, exhibited symptoms of occasional cough on April 11, 2020 considering her to be a suspect for COVID-19. On April 16, health authorities collected swab samples and sent to Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City for confirmatory testing.  

“Her result was part of the 58 samples sent to Cebu on Sunday (April 19) via the Philippine Air Force plane,” Molon said.

COVID -19 patients 3 and 4  are scheduled to be discharged from hospital on April 21, following the negative results of their repeat swab tests while the 6th positive case will be transferred to the DOH referral hospital for further monitoring and proper management. 

“A new confirmed case of COVID-19 means the virus is still here in the region, so the risk of having the virus is higher when we are outside,” Molon cautioned the public and reiterated her call to help cut the transmission of the virus by staying at home and continue to practice proper hygiene by frequent handwashing, do some exercise, maintain social distancing and healthy lifestyle.

Molon also asked for prayers for the recovery of those confirmed and suspected cases of COVID-19 and refrain from discriminating them.

Meanwhile, of the six swab samples collected from individuals who were exposed to COVID-19 patient 5 from Burauen Leyte, five turned out negative for COVID-19 while one is still due for confirmatory testing  (ldl/cba/PIA8)

source https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1039561