By Glazyl Y. Masculino
The first positive case of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Western Visayas is in Bacolod City.
Both the Department of Health Western Visayas Center for Health Development (DOH-WV-CHD) and Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia confirmed the information.
The patient is a 56-year-old Filipino male with history of travel to United Kingdom. He arrived in the country on Feb 29, 2020 and fell ill on March 2.
The patient experienced sore throat and difficulty of breathing and was admitted to a hospital on March 6. Swab samples were taken on March 13 and sent to Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) on the same day.
The RITM released the result today confirming that the patient is positive for SARS-CoV2, the virus causing COVID-19.
Leonardia ordered the City Health Office (CHO) to conduct immediate and intensive contact tracing.
Dr. Carmela Gensoli, CHO head, said that the patient is recovering and showing signs of improvement. He was advised to stay in the hospital for 14 days more.
Gensoli said that they will have to back track all the activities of the patient to determine the persons he had interacted from his flight in London until he arrived here.
“We are doing our very best to track all those people,” he added.
Gensoli said that if these persons will manifest COVID-19 symptoms, they will be considered PUIs, but if they don’t have symptoms, they will be considered Persons Under Monitoring (PUMs).
Leonardia asked the CHO to solicit the assistance of the police to make sure that they will have an accurate contact tracing, including the places he visited when he returned here to also inform the people in these places.
He appealed to the Bacolodnons to follow the protocol like the social distancing, staying at home, and hygiene and sanitation practices.
He said there’s no lockdown and there’s no need to elevate the current status to enhanced community quarantine.
“We are going to be more stringent in our implementation of the general community quarantine. We should be stricter in our curfew and check up points,” he added.
“At the same time we would like to assure them that we found this with best of intentions. We’re doing this with best interest of the people of Bacolod,” he said.
“This is war but we don’t know where the enemy is. We can fight this if we all cooperate and follow the proper safety protocols,” he added.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said in a phone interview that he is hoping the patient will survive.
Lacson also urged the people to pray and to cooperate, as the government will implement stricter measures.
“This is not a local transmission thing. Let’s do everything to avoid this by staying at home,” he said.
As of March 20, Dr. Grace Tan, spokesperson of Bacolod Task Force against COVID-19 said that Bacolod has 11 PUIs – 7 males and 4 females admitted in different hospitals. All are in stable condition.
TRACING AND CONTAINMENT
The DOH-WV-CHD assured the public that the necessary containment measures are strictly implemented to prevent the possible spread of the virus.
The DOH-WV-CHD also coordinated with the hospital and the concerned local government unit (LGU) for intensified contact tracing, and infection and prevention control measures.
It also encouraged those who may have been in contact with the confirmed case to cooperate with health authorities and provide necessary information for proper management.
Those who came in close contact with the patient are advised to undergo voluntary home quarantine for 14 days.
Those exhibiting signs and symptoms such as fever (38 degree Celsius and above), and/or respiratory symptoms occurring within 14 days of exposure should submit themselves for medical check-up.
As of March 19, the DOH-WV-CHD reported that there are 130 patients under investigation (PUI) in the region. Of this, 48 tested negative from COVID-19; while 69 others have pending laboratory result.
There were also 22,813 persons under monitoring (PUM) as of 19 March 2020.
The public is advised to continually practice self-protective measures to avoid contracting the virus such as frequent hand washing for at least 20 seconds, observing respiratory etiquette and social distancing – maintaining at least one meter away from another person – and infection prevention and control measures in the household.
The public is also urged to source out COVID-19 related information and advisories only through credible sources or through www.doh.gov.ph/2019-nCoV and Department of Health Western Visayas CHD facebook page.
The DOH can also be reached through its Health Emergency Management Service (HEMS) Hotline No. (033) 332-2575 and 332-2329 local 149.
