By Emme Rose Santiagudo
An 81-year-old male from the province of Aklan is among the three additional patients who recovered from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Western Visayas, the Department of Health-Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD)-6 confirmed on Wednesday.
Dr. Renilyn Reyes, DOH-CHD-6, spokesperson said two of the six confirmed COVID-19 cases in Aklan have recovered from the disease.
Reyes said the recoveries from Aklan are WV Patient No. 5, an 81-year-old male from Libacao; and WV Patient No. 13, a 37-year-old male from Malay.
Another patient from Mambusao, Capiz, a 53-year-old male (WV Patient No 19), also survived the infection, according to Reyes.
“As of Wednesday, we have recorded three new COVID-19 recoveries in the region bringing the total COVID-19 recoveries in Western Visayas to 11,” she said in an online press briefing on Wednesday.
Data from the health department indicated that the 11 recoveries are from the provinces of Iloilo (3), Aklan (2), Capiz (2), Bacolod City (2), Negros Occidental (1), and Iloilo City (1).
According to Reyes, more recoveries will be recorded in the region in the coming days as the health department will be following a new protocol in classifying COVID-19 survivors.
“Sang una gahambal kita kon negative lang sa one or two PCR tests dapat amo na pag-discharge sa iya. Pero based on our new protocol, pwede naton mahambal recovered kon positive iya result sa IgG rapid antibody testing,” she said.
Based on the new protocol, Reyes said COVID-19 survivors will include not only those who tested negative in the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based testing but also those who will test positive in the IgG rapid antibody testing.
Upon the assessment of a health worker, a patient can be identified as a recovery if there is a clinical resolution of signs and symptoms, Reyes added.
“Dapat i-asses sang aton health workers nga aton pasyente dapat may clinical resolution of signs and symptoms meaning madula iya hilanat for three days or more, may improvement sa iya respiratory symptoms and chest x-ray,” she said.
Reyes said survivors who were discharged from a hospital or facility-based quarantine should undergo another 14-day quarantine.
After the 14-day quarantine, the patient shall be assessed by a doctor.
“Kon recovered na siya, after 14 days i-asses pa siya liwat sa isa naton ka health worker and hatagan siya certification nga naka-recover siya,” Reyes added.
