DOH-6 confirms local COVID transmission in Iloilo town

The Department of Health-Center for Health Development Western Visayas (DOH-CHD 6) confirmed local transmission of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Alimodian, Iloilo.

Dr. Jessie Glen Alonsabe, regional epidemiologist of DOH-CHD 6, said local transmission was established in Alimodian following the linking of the 13 confirmed cases in the locality.

“Ginatawag naton nga local transmission kay ang isa nga tawo ang source of infection and tungod makalink kita sa isa ka positive sa iban na contact so local transmission ang natabo sa Alimodian,” Alonsabe said in a virtual presser on Wednesday.

 

Local transmission, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), indicates that the source of infection is within the reporting location.

In its Case Bulletin No. 95, DOH-CHD 6 reported 13 indigenous cases of COVID-19 in Alimodian:

-16-year-old female (WV Patient No. 278)

– 27-year-old female (WV Patient No. 279)

-three-year-old male (WV Patient No. 280)

-28-year-old female (WV Patient No. 281)

-55-year-old female (WV Patient No. 282)

-46-year-old-female (WV Patient No. 283)

-47-year-old female (WV Patient No. 284)

-45-year-old female (WV Patient No. 285)

-23-year-old female (WV Patient No. 286)

-20-year-old female (WV Patient No. 287)

-13-year-old female (WV Patient No. 288)

-40-year-old female (WV Patient No. 289)

Alonsabe confirmed that five of the 13 cases are health workers of the Alimodian Rural Health Unit (RHU); seven are close contacts of an infected health worker; and one who had exposure to a locally stranded individual (LSI).

According to Alonsabe, the source of infection was traced to a health worker who was possibly exposed to a COVID-19 positive LSI.

“During the operations sa RHU, siguro ang personal protective equipment (PPE) infected so na-infect man ang iban nga health care workers tungod upod sila to sa Alimodian,” he said.

Alonsabe said one of the health workers breached the quarantine protocols after going home despite undergoing real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test. As a result, the health worker infected seven close contacts in their household.

“Daw wala nasunod ang protocol kay amo na nagpuli siya and na-infect iya family,” he said.

Following the breach of quarantine protocols, Alonsabe reiterated the need for patients who underwent swabbing or RT-PCR testing to undergo strict home/facility quarantine while waiting for their results.

“Amo na gina-stress naton ang protocols nga indi na tani magpuli kon naswab ka. Basta kaundergo ka RT-PCR swabbing indi ka gid ya maghalin sa facility, kon naquarantine ka sa balay niyo indi ka dapat magwa. Hulaton gid magwa ang result and kon negative amo lang na pwede ka kagwa,” Alonsabe said.

Dr. Renilyn Reyes, head of the Public Health Program Development of DOH-CHD 6, said they strongly recommend quarantine of all patients who underwent swabbing to save the time and resources of the authorities, especially in conducting contact tracing.

“Kon di kita ma-quarantine, ma-branch out ang contact tracing ta kon positive case gale ang patient. Once positive siya, pwede maglapta ang COVID-19. Amo na we are strongly recommending to follow strict quarantine indi lang for health workers but also for non-health workers na kon na-test and pending ang result, dapat quarantine anay and decrease mobility,” she stressed.

Alimodian has been under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) since Monday.