Lambunao native dies of COVID-19; two new cases in city, province

By Emme Rose Santiagudo

Iloilo province recorded its first coronavirus disease (COVID-19) casualty – a 70-year-old male from the town of Lambunao who died Sunday, a day after he tested positive for the disease, even as two more cases were reported in the province.

The Department of Health-Center for Health Development in Western Visayas (DOH-CHD 6) identified him as the 16^th positive case in the region in its bulletin issued on Saturday.

The patient has no travel history abroad or to Metro Manila but suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and diabetes.

Dr. Ma. Mercedes Ballarta, municipal health officer of Lambunao, said the daughter of the patient confirmed his death Sunday evening.

“We called the daughter of the patient and she confirmed the death of the patient on Sunday evening at the Western Visayas Medical Center (WVMC),” Ballarta said in an interview Monday.

Ballarta said the patient was first admitted to a private hospital in Iloilo City and was eventually transferred to WVMC on March 28 after it was confirmed that he had COVID-19.

“He was admitted in a private hospital not for COVID-19 but sa iban na disease and gin-transfer lang siya sa WVMC sang Friday,” she said.

The patient was not even declared as a person under investigation (PUI) or person under monitoring in the town.

“We were not able to see the patient, wala sya nag-agi sa amon, wala man siya na PUM and PUI but sa Iloilo siya nagpa-admit,” Ballarta added.

Ballarta confirmed that the patient had no travel history to places with local transmission.

However, he has a daughter who arrived from Thailand on March 6.

“Based sa informants, wala siya travel history, because old man siya, mga one-week na nga bed ridden siya.  Pero may ara siya isa nga daughter nga nagbakasyon sa Thailand,” she said.

Currently, Ballarta said the family members of the patient are under home quarantine and have not exhibited any signs and symptoms of COVID-19.

“We are closely monitoring 11 of the family members including their driver and helper. As of 2:30 this afternoon, all of them are asymptomatic and nobody is exhibiting signs and symptoms,” Ballarta said.

So far, COVID-19 has claimed two lives in Western Visayas.

The first fatality was a 72-year-old male from Mandurriao, Iloilo City who travelled to Metro Manila and died on March 21.

Meanwhile, two new confirmed COVID-19 cases were recorded in Western Visayas, bringing the region’s tally to 18 cases with two fatalities.

Patient No. 17 is a 44-year-old male from Iloilo City who traveled to Manila. His condition has improved but remains in isolation. Authorities have traced three persons who had contact with him.

Patient No. 18 is a female, 51, from Iloilo province. She was asymptomatic and a close contact Patient No. 2 from Guimbal town.

Iloilo province and Bacolod City now have five positive cases each, Aklan and Iloilo City with three cases each, and Capiz and Negros Occidental with one case each.

Antique and Guimaras remain free of COVID-19.

Based on the DOH-6 bulletin, most of the patients are either in stable or improved condition except for Patient No. 7 from Bacolod City who is in critical condition.

Health authorities also recorded 370 persons under investigation (PUI), 135 of whom tested negative. Also, 102 PUIs have been discharged while 103 are currently admitted.

The region also has 45,388 Persons Under Monitoring (PUM), 28,734 of whom had completed the 14-day quarantine.

PUIs are persons with travel history to places with confirmed local transmission showing signs and symptoms of COVID-19 while PUMs are persons with travel history to places with confirmed local transmission but are asymptomatic.