COVID-19 claims two more lives in WV

By Emme Rose Santiagudo

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) claimed two more lives in Western Visayas, bringing the total death toll to four as of March 31, 2020.

The Department of Health-Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD-6) said the latest fatalities were included in the four new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the region which now has a total of 22 cases.

Among the new cases are two Capiz residents – a 53-year-old male with travel history to Manila and a 60-year-old female who died last March 28 with travel history in Dubai and Metro Manila.

A 44-year-old male from Aklan is also among the confirmed cases although his travel history and exposure is still under verification.

The fourth new case and fourth fatality in the region is a 58-year-old male from Guimbal, Iloilo. His travel history and exposure is also being verified.

Guimbal now has three confirmed COVID-19 cases.

As of Tuesday, Iloilo province tops the tally of confirmed cases with six, Bacolod City with five, Aklan with 4, Capiz and Iloilo City with 3 cases each, and Negros Occidental with one.

Antique and Guimaras remain COVID-19 free as of this writing.

The region also has 385 persons under investigation (PUI) or individuals who travelled to places with cases of COVID-19 or were exposed to a positive case and manifested signs and symptoms of the disease.

A total of 169 PUIs tested negative for the virus, 106 have been discharged, and 105 still in hospitals.

Also, 32,315 of the 46,114 persons under monitoring (PUMs) have completed the 14-day quarantine.

PUMs are persons with travel history to places with confirmed local transmission but are asymptomatic.