More than half of COVID-19 cases in WV are repatriates

By Emme Rose Santiagudo

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in Western Visayas are steadily increasing with 18 more cases reported over the weekend, according to the two case bulletins issued by the Department of Health-Center for Health Development Western Visayas (DOH-CHD 6).

On Saturday, the region recorded 13 new cases that included repatriates who recently arrived in the region.

Eight of the new cases are locally stranded individuals (LSIs), including six from Negros Occidental:

-a 36-year-old female from Cadiz City (WV Patient No. 165);

-a 22-year-old male from Escalante City (WV Patient No. 166);

-a 43-year-old male from Silay City (WV Patient No. 167);

-a 36-year-old male from San Carlos City, (WV Patient No. 168);

-a 10-year-old male from Moises Padilla, (WV Patient No. 170); and

-a 31-year-old female from Moises Padilla (WV Patient No. 177).

The city and province of Iloilo also recorded two new additional cases on Saturday – a 22-year-old LSI male from Jaro, Iloilo City (WV Patient No.174); and a 22-year-old female LSI from Alimodian, Iloilo (WV Patient No.175).

The five other cases are repatriated Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs):

-a 38-year-old female from Binalbagan, Negros Occidental (WV Patient No. 169);

-a 32-year-old female from Bago City, Negros Occidental (WV Patient No.171);

-a 45-year-old female from San Carlos City Negros Occidental (WV Patient No.172);

-a 23-year-old male from Bacolod City (WV Patient No. 173); and

-a 33-year-old female from Cuartero Capiz (WV Patient No. 176);

The following day, Region 6 logged five new additional cases – four LSIs and a repatriated OFW.

In its Case Bulletin No. 87 issued on Sunday, DOH-CHD-6 said the five new confirmed cases are:

-a 30-year-old male LSI from Murcia Negros Occidental (WV Patient No. 178);

-a 33-year-old female LSI from Himamaylan, Negros Occidental (WV Patient No. 179);

-a 26-year-old female LSI from Cadiz City, Negros Occidental (WV Patient No.180); and

-a 22-year-old male LSI from Dueñas, Iloilo (WV Patient No. 181).

A 26-year-old female repatriated OFW from Sibunag, Guimaras (WV Patient No. 182) is also among the new cases.

Western Visayas recorded one recovery on Sunday – a 33-year-old female repatriated OFW from Januiay, Iloilo (WV Patient No. 117).

The number of COVID-19 positive repatriates spiked to 99 as of Sunday. They now account for more than half of the total cases in Western Visayas.

Negros Occidental recorded the highest number of infected repatriates at 37; followed by Iloilo City at 18; Bacolod City at 17; Iloilo province at 13; Aklan, Antique, and Capiz at four cases each; and Capiz at two.

The regional tally of COVID-19 cases is now at 182 with 61 active cases; 110 recoveries; and 11 deaths.

Based on the weekly COVID-19 situationer issued by the health department on June 19, a total of 5,213 OFW repatriates have arrived in the region.

Sixty-eight (68) of the 5,213 repatriates tested positive for COVID-19 in the real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing, wherein 61 were initially negative in the RT-PCR test and five did not undergo testing at their point of exit.

On the other hand, 12,755 LSIs returned to Western Visayas as of Friday. Fifteen tested positive for COVID-19.

Ten of the positive LSIs came from Cebu which is now the new epicenter of COVID-19 crisis in the country.