Another patient in Iloilo City died while awaiting the release of his laboratory result which turned out positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
The Department of Health-Western Visayas Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD 6) reported Tuesday the new COVID-19 fatality – a 69-year-old male from City Proper district, Iloilo City.
The latest fatality (WV Patient No. 804) first showed COVID-19 symptoms on June 25, 2020, according to Dr. Sophia Pulmones, head of the Local Health Support Division of DOH-CHD 6.
On June 29, the patient sought consultation in a health center. He was admitted on July 6 due to severe acute respiratory infection.
“On the same day, his specimens were collected to be subjected to COVID-19 testing,” Pulmones said in a press briefing on Tuesday.
The patient died July 7 while his laboratory results were only released July 21.
According to Pulmones, the patient had underlying conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and was also hypertensive.
Following his death, the COVID-19 fatality in the region totaled to 16 as of Tuesday.
Several patients also died in the region while awaiting their laboratory results.
Last week, DOH-CHD 6 reported the death of a 70-year-old male from Jaro, Iloilo City (WV Patient No. 732).
The patient was admitted to a hospital on July 10. He died on July 17, but his laboratory results only came out on July 19 where he also turned out positive.
According to Pulmones, the Western Visayas Medical Center-Sub National Laboratory (WVMC-SNL) in Mandurriao district is currently processing the remaining 1,000 backlogs in the laboratory.
Due to the surge in specimens, WVMC-SNL has recently stopped receiving specimens to process its backlogs.
DOH-CHD 6 has temporarily rerouted the specimens to Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital-Molecular Laboratory (CLMMRH-ML) in Bacolod City.
CASES BREACH 800-MARK
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in Western Visayas has breached the 800-mark with 13 new additional cases recorded on Tuesday, bringing the regional total to 810.
In its Case Bulletin No.117, Department of Health-Western Visayas Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD 6) reported 13 new Covid-19 cases, mostly locally stranded individuals (LSIs) and repatriated Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).
The new cases are:
*a 26-year-old female LSI from La Paz, Iloilo (WV Patient No. 798);
*a 23-year-old male OFW from Molo, Iloilo City (WV Patient No. 799);
*a 42-year-old male LSI from Zarraga, Iloilo (WV Patient No. 800);
*a 24-year-old male LSI from Carles (WV Patient No. 801);
*a 25-year-old female LSI from Carles (WV Patient No. 802);
*a 24-year-old male LSI from Carles, Iloilo (WV Patient No. 803);
*a 69-year-old male from City Proper (WV Patient No. 804);
*a 36-year-old female OFW from Dumangas, Iloilo (WV Patient No. 805);
*a 57-year-old male LSI from Sta. Barbara, Iloilo (WV Patient No. 806);
*a 30-year-old male LSI from Tigbauan, Iloilo (WV Patient No. 807);
*a 22-year-old male OFW from Mandurriao (WV Patient No. 808);
*a 38-year-old male LSI from Barotac Viejo (WV Patient No. 809);
*a 32-year-old female OFW from Ajuy, Iloilo (WV Patient No. 810)
Region 6 also logged one new COVID-19 fatality (WV Patient No. 804).
MORE SURVIVORS
Meanwhile, 35 new patients in the region have recovered from COVID-19, based on the same case bulletin.
Majority of the recoveries are LSIs from Guimaras province (13), Iloilo province with 12 new LSI recoveries, one authorized person outside residence (APOR) also recovered from the disease; Bacolod City with four recoveries; Negros Occidental with four recoveries involving three LSIs and one local case; and one from Iloilo City who is also an LSI.
According to Dr. Pulmones, they noted a spike in the number of COVID-19 recoveries in Region 6 since last week.
The highest single-day recoveries in the region was on July 17 where 63 survivors were logged, followed by 58 recoveries on July 21, and 36 on July 16.
“Halin sang nagligad nga one-week nagataas na ang aton recoveries diri sa Region 6,” Pulmones said in a virtual press briefing on Tuesday.
Pulmones said the recoveries are mostly repatriates who were asymptomatic or did not manifest symptoms.
As of Tuesday, confirmed cases in the region totaled 810 with 288 active cases and 506 recoveries.
The number includes 607 repatriates. Eighty-nine percent or 717 cases are asymptomatic; 38 are admitted to hospitals; and 250 remain under quarantine. (ERS)
