The 42-year-old driver of the coronavirus-positive couple in the town of Pavia, Iloilo has been infected with the new strain of respiratory virus.
The Deparment of Health (DOH-6) confirmed on Tuesday, April 21, one new case in Western Visayas.
The latest patient is a resident of Barangay Nato in La Castellana town, Negros Occidental. He works for the couple in Pavia.
According to Dr. Renilyn Reyes of the DOH-6, the last time the patient had close contact with his employers was on March 6.
“Nagpauli ni sya sa Negros kay tagadidto sya. Nag-abot sya sa Bacolod sang March 15 kag nakalab-ot sya sa ila balay sa La Castellana sang March 16,” she said.
The Iloilo City government imposed travel and border restrictions on March 17.
“Pag-abot nya sa La Castellana, ginconsider na sya nga PUM (person under monitoring). Nag-undergo sya home quarantine [until March 31].Sang April 8, ginmunuhan na sya nga [his employers] nagpositive,” Reyes said.
“Sa prelimenary information nga nakuha naton, nakakadto sya sa malapit nga health center sang April 11. Ginfacility quarantine sya dayon kag ginkuhaan sang specimen for RT-PCR (real-time polymerase chain reaction) testing,” she added.
Based on a bulletin issued by the Provincial Health Office of Negros Occidental, the patient started manifesting symptoms (diarrhea, fever) of COVID-19 on April 5.
Hi wife and child tested negative for the viral disease, according to Reyes.
The employers of the new patients are close contacts of the deceased COVID-19 patient from Mandurriao district in Iloilo City.
On Sunday, April 19, Pavia Mayor Luigi Gorriceta announced that the couple are already free of the deadly disease as their repeat tests yielded negative results.
There are currently 53 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the whole region, including 8 recoveries and 7 deaths.IMT
