‘DON’T GET CARRIED AWAY’: DOH-6 reminds risk of COVID-19 spread is still there

By Emme Rose Santiagudo

Residents and the returning work force in the provinces and highly urbanized cities (HUCs) in Western Visayas should not be complacent as the region downgrades and adapts to the “new normal” under General Community Quarantine (GCQ), the Department of Health-Center for Health Development Western Visayas (DOH-CHD 6) cautioned on Sunday.

DOH-CHD 6 warned that the risk of transmitting the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is still there amid the GCQ.

Dr. Ma. Sophia Pulmones, chief of the Local Health Support Division of DOH-CHD 6, emphasized that the public should be even more vigilant now as quarantine measures are more relaxed and people will be travelling and returning to their workplaces.

“Ara pa gihapon ang risk sang Covid-19 amo na ang aton pangabay sa tanan nga baskin ara kit asa GCQ indi gid kita masalig. Amo pa gid ni gani nga i-intensify naton ang paghalong and surveillance kay wala na border restrictions sa iban nga areas,” she said in a phone interview on Sunday.

Western Visayas shifted to GCQ starting May 16 to May 31, 2020 after it was classified as “moderate-risk” for COVID-19.

Compared to the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), quarantine measures under GCQ are more relaxed wherein public transport will be allowed but with reduced capacity; while reopening of select establishments will be allowed from 50 to 100 percent and subject to minimum health standards.
Except for Iloilo City, border restrictions in all the other areas in the region remains in effect under GCQ.

Meanwhile, the use of quarantine passes has been suspended in all local government units (LGUs) in the region except for Iloilo province and Guimaras.

Pulmones reminded LGUs and the public to practice non-pharmaceutical interventions such as personal hygiene, environmental hygiene, observing strict physical distancing, and use of face masks in public places under GCQ.

“Personal hygiene which includes handwashing with soap and water and sanitizing with hand disinfectants; environmental hygiene or disinfecting surfaces and objects; physical distancing, and use of face masks can help in preventing the transmission and spread of COVID -19,” she said.

According to Pulmones, the public should also be responsible enough to protect oneself and help in preventing the spread of COVID -19.

“Indi lang ini ya sang DOH, national agencies, and LGUs, tanan-tanan kita may responsibilidad sa paghalong para matapna naton ang paglapta sang COVID -19 kag indi na madugangan ang kaso sang positive cases sa rehiyon,” she said.

As of Sunday, Region 6 recorded a total of 103 confirmed cases with 64 recoveries and 10 deaths.

Pulmones said only 29 are considered as “active cases” or are still infected with COVID -19 in the region.

“Active cases meaning they are still currently infected, wala pa ini naton sila na-categorize as recovered kay iban admitted sa hospital, iban nagpadayon na sang ila nga mandatory home quarantine and facility quarantine,” she said.

The 29 active cases include 16 repatriated Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs); 6 active cases in Iloilo City; 4 in Antique; two in Iloilo province and one in Negros Occidental.

Pulmones said the active cases can be considered as recovered once there is a resolution of signs and symptoms and their repeat real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test yield negative results.

 

NEW CASE

DOH-CHD 6 also confirmed on Sunday one additional case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the region.

WV Patient No. 103, a 34-year-old male from Alimodian town in Iloilo, is a close contact of the 38-year-old male from Hinigiran, Negros Occidental (WV Patient No. 102) who is currently admitted to a hospital in Iloilo.

The two patients are crew members of a fishing vessel in Iloilo City, according to Dr. Ma. Sophia Pulmones.

“The latest patient from Alimodian is asymptomatic. Upod to sila duha sa fishing vessel nga nag-abot sa Iloilo City sang ligad,” she said in a phone interview on Sunday.

Pulmones said the fishing vessel came from Navotas City in Metro Manila and arrived in Iloilo City last May 11, 2020. It has 18 crew members.

On May 12, WV Patient No. 102 was admitted to a hospital in Iloilo City after experiencing fever and cough.

Three days after, his tests results came out as positive for COVID-19, Pulmones said.

Hence, all the other crew members were subjected to confirmatory testing for COVID-19. The crew member from Alimodian (WV Patient No. 103) was the second crew member to be infected by the virus.

Pulmones said the patient is currently staying at the fishing vessel while under quarantine.

She added that the health department is coordinating with the Iloilo Provincial Health Office for the transfer of the patient to a separate quarantine facility.

“Gina-coordinte pa subong upod sang Iloilo PHO nga masaylo siya sa separate facility because ang recommendation is isayluhon gid siya sa lain nga quarantine facility,” she said.
All the other crew members remain billeted in the fishing vessel.

Meanwhile, Pulmones said that the laboratory results of the 16 remaining crew members remain pending.