By Emme Rose Santiagudo
Most of the 182 Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) who returned home to Western Visayas last week underwent polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), with five yielding positive results.
Dr. May Ann Soliva-Sta. Lucia cluster head of Health Promotion of the Department of Health in Western Visayas -Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD 6) said 172 OFWs underwent RT-PCR which is considered more accurate compared to rapid anti-body tests.
The OFWs were allowed to go home after purportedly undergoing tests in Metro Manila.
The laboratory results of the other 167 OFWs remain pending while 10 OFWs from Antique have yet to undergo PCR testing, Sta. Lucia added.
“A total of 172 OFWs have been tested for PCR composed of 37 repatriates from Aklan, 83 repatriates from Iloilo province, and 12 repatriates from Capiz. All their test results remain pending. In Iloilo City, four came out as positive while laboratory results of the 31 repatriates still remain pending. Four repatriates in Guimaras also await their laboratory results,” Sta. Lucia said.
The 56 repatriated OFWs who arrived in Bacolod City last April 28 are also awaiting their laboratory results.
The 56 repatriates included 28 OFWs from Bacolod City and 28 OFWs from Negros Occidental.
In sum, 223 laboratory results of the repatriates remain pending at the subnational reference laboratory in the region.
In a bulletin issued on Saturday, DOH-CHD 6 reported six new additional Covid-19 cases in the region, including the five repatriated OFWs.
Iloilo City recorded five new Covid-19 cases, including four OFW repatriates. A 28-year-old female from Jaro district in Iloilo City (WV Patient No. 67) is one of the new cases in Iloilo City. She is under home quarantine.
Meanwhile, the four new patients in Iloilo City who are repatriates include a 30-year-old male (WV Patient No. 68); a 27-year-old male (WV Patient No. 69); a 29-year-old male (WV Patient No. 70); and a 30-year-old male (WV Patient No. 71).
A repatriated OFW from Guimaras has also tested positive for COVID-19. The patient is a 27-year-old male from Buenavista, Guimaras who is staying in a quarantine facility in Iloilo City.
Sta. Lucia said the five OFWs are asymptomatic and are currently under quarantine in West Visayas Sanitarium in Sta. Barbara, Iloilo.
“The positive repatriates are in West Visayas Sanitarium. All the other repatriates are asymptomatic and are staying in their designated quarantine facilities” she said in an online press briefing on Sunday.
NO NEW CASES
Based on Case Bulletin No. 38 issued by the health department on Sunday, no new additional cases were recorded in Region 6.
Out of the 91 laboratory results released, 90 yielded negative results while one repeat test was positive for COVID-19.
So far, COVID-19 cases in the region totaled to 72 with 27 recoveries and nine deaths.
