COVID-19 infects four in Iloilo City

By Emme Rose Santiagudo

Four individuals from a densely populated village of Arevalo district in Iloilo City were infected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

The Department of Health in Western Visayas -Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD 6) said the four new patients from Arevalo included a 55-year-old female (WV Patient No. 73); a 43-year-old female (WV Patient No. 78); a 57-year-old female (WV Patient No. 79); and a 49-year-old female (WV Patient No. 80).

According to Dr. May Ann Soliva-Sta. Lucia cluster head of Health Promotion of DOH-CHD 6, the four patients are under facility quarantine.

The health department has yet to confirm if the four new cases are close contacts of WV Patient No. 66, a 48-year-old male from Arevalo district.

Mayor Jerry Treñas recently revealed that WV Patient No. 66 is one of the drivers of the Iloilo City Emergency Response (ICER) team.

With five total cases in Arevalo district, Sta. Lucia said it is up to the local government to decide whether they will place the entire district or just specific barangays only under lockdown.

“As to the lockdown, the city government has to analyze the spread within the barangay and identify possible interventions if they will put the lockdown in the whole barangay or in some puroks only,” she said in a virtual presser on Tuesday.

Western Visayas saw its second highest single-day spike in COVID-19 cases on Tuesday at eight, including the four from Arevalo. The highest so far was on March 27, 2020 at nine cases.

Based on Case Bulletin No. 40, the four other patients included a three-year-old girl from Pandan, Antique (WV Patient No. 75) and three repatriated Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).

“A three-year-old female in Pandan is the youngest patient in the region. She is currently admitted in a health facility,” Sta. Lucia said.

The three additional repatriated OFWs who tested positive for COVID-19 are a 30-year-old female from Banga, Aklan (WV Patient No. 74); 33-year-old male in Dingle, Iloilo (WV Patient No. 76) and 30-year-old male from City Proper, Iloilo City (WV Patient No. 77).

Sta. Lucia said the repatriates from Dingle, Iloilo and City, Proper will be transferred to the West Visayas Sanitarium in Sta. Barbara while the repatriate from Banga, Aklan will be transferred to Dr. Rafael Tumbukon Provincial Hospital in Kalibo, Aklan.

The region also reported two additional COVID-19 recoveries – a 68-year-old male from Kalibo, Aklan (WV Patient No. 8) and a 77-year-old female from Mandurriao, Iloilo City (WV Patient No. 34).

As of Tuesday, the COVID-19 cases in the region jumped to 80 with 31 recoveries and 10 deaths.