By Emme Rose Santiagudo
A couple from the town of Pavia in Iloilo was infected by the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) following their exposure to a positive case, the Department of Health-Center for Health Development Western Visayas (DOH-CHD) 6 confirmed on Wednesday.
The couple labeled as WV Patient No. 37 (50-year-old male) and WV Patient No. 38 (52-year-old female) both were close contacts of a COVID-19 case from Iloilo City.
DOH-CHD 6 said the two new additional cases had direct exposure to WV Patient No. 11, a 72-year old male from Mandurriao, Iloilo City who died last March 21.
Based on the bulletin issued by DOH-CHD 6 on Tuesday, the two patients are asymptomatic and are in stable condition while under home quarantine.
Dr. Marlyn Convocar, DOH-CHD-6 regional director, said contact tracing of the two new cases are underway.
“We cannot determine yet if this is a case of local transmission because we still need to test all the contacts of the patients,” she said in a press conference on Wednesday.
In a statement, Mayor Laurence Anthony “Luigi” Gorriceta confirmed the first two cases recorded in Pavia.
Gorriceta said contact tracing of all persons who might have direct contact with the patient are being monitored by the Municipal Health Office of Pavia and Provincial Health Office
“I immediately called for an emergency meeting, and at this very moment, our Municipal Health Office, in coordination with the Provincial Health Office and the barangay concerned, is currently conducting contact tracing of all persons that might have direct contact, as well as the degree of their exposure to the positive patients,” he said in a statement.
He added that area where the two cases are located are being closely monitored by the police and sanitation and disinfection drive have been conducted.
As of April 7, 2020, DOH-CHD 6 has recorded 38 COVID-19 cases with six deaths in Western Visayas.
Out of the 38 cases, 14 are admitted in a hospital while 15 are under home quarantine, according to Convocar.
SLOW YET SUSTAINED
With local transmission confirmed in the towns of Lambunao and Guimbal in Iloilo province, Iloilo City, and Bacolod City, the health department described the spread of COVID-19 in the region as “slow yet sustained.”
“This means nga mahinay ang paglapta sang virus pero sige-sige ang kaso,” Convocar said.
Convocar said there is still no scientific basis if a “community transmission” is present in the region.
“Mabudlay i-confirm ang community transition because ang meaning sini naga-positive sa isa ka lugar nga indi mo na ma-trace or ma-connect sa index case, nagtuhaw lang siya,” she said.
Convocar said more testing is needed to prove the presence of community transmission in Western Visayas.
“To prove nga may ara sina, we have to do a lot of testing sa aton nga mga gina-contact tracing and a lot of scientific evidence na may community transmission,” she said.
The health department is preparing for a mass testing in the coming weeks where the vulnerable population, immune-compromised, and health workers will be prioritized.
