Another member of virus-hit clan tests positive

By Emme Rose Santiagudo

Another family member of the Wong Family in the town of Lambunao, Iloilo province was infected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

In a bulletin issued on Friday, the Department of Health-Center for Health Development in Western Visayas (DOH-CHD 6) confirmed the latest case in Lambunao, a 33-year-old female who had exposure to previous positive patients in the town.

Dr. Renilyn Reyes, DOH-CHD 6 spokesperson, said the patient also shared the same household with the previous confirmed cases.

“Our WV Patient No. 58 is a 33-year-old female from Lambunao, Iloilo. The patient is currently asymptomatic and under home quarantine. Isa lang ini sila ka household sang previous cases pa gid naton sa Lambunao,” Reyes said in an online press briefing on Friday.

The first COVID-19 case in Lambunao was a 70-year-old male (WV Patient No. 16), the patriarch of the Wong Family. He expired last March 29.

His 44-year-old daughter (WV Patient No. 25), who took care of him in a hospital, was next to be infected.

Four more members of the Wong Family, particularly the 70-year old mother (WV Patient No. 29) and the children (WV Patient Nos. 27, 28, and 30) also tested positive for COVID-19.

The newest case brings the total COVID-19 cases in Lambunao to seven with one death. The town now has the highest number of cases in Iloilo province.

Two more additional cases were also recorded in Negros Occidental, the health department reported on Friday.

Reyes said the two new cases are repatriated Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Negros Occidental.

“They are labelled as WV Patient No. 56 who is 38-year-old male from Silay City, Negros Occidental and WV Patient No. 57 who is a 50-year-old male from Candoni, Negros Occidental. They are both asymptomatic and under facility-based quarantine,” she said.

According to Reyes, the two patients had travel history outside of the Philippines before they were repatriated to Negros Occidental via Cebu.

“WV Patient No. 56 had travel history to Netherlands while WV Patient NO. 57 had travel history to Finland,” she added.

In sum, there are 58 total COVID-19 cases in Western Visayas with eight deaths and 14 recoveries.