‘No protocol breach in handling of Iloilo City’s latest COVID-19 case’

By Emme Rose Santiagudo

There was no special treatment in the latest case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Iloilo City, Mayor Jerry Treñas stressed on Thursday.

Treñas answered the allegations hurled by critics on the way they handled the case of the seventh COVID-19 patient in the city who arrived in Iloilo City over the weekend via private helicopter.

The mayor said he initially did not agree to allow the patient to return to Iloilo City.

But after seeing the need to carry the extraction kits needed by Western Visayas Medical Center (WVMC) subnational reference laboratory, he and the COVID-19 team in the city agreed to allow the person’s return through a private chopper which she personally arranged.

“At first, together with the COVID-199 task force we did not agree, but when we knew that we needed the extraction kits, we asked the person if she can carry the extraction kits needed in the laboratory of WVMC in the flight she personally arranged. Since a charter flight will cost us so much, we agreed,” Treñas said in a statement issued on Wednesday.

Treñas said the patient was subjected to rapid COVID-19 test upon arrival at the airport.

After testing positive in the rapid test, the patient was immediately isolated and was subjected to the RT-PCR test.

The Department of Health-Center for Health Development in Western Visayas (DOH-CHD 6) confirmed that the patient was positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday. She was labeled as the 55^th case in the region.

Treñas himself and reports by local radio stations said that the patient is the 51-year-old daughter of Iloilo City Legal Officer Atty. Edgar Gil. She went home to attend the funeral of her mother.

Several netizens have questioned the move of the mayor when he allowed the patient’s return to Iloilo City through a private aircraft.

Netizens claimed that protocols were breached particularly in allowing unessential personnel to enter the borders of Iloilo City.

“Allegations made on social media platforms about exempting others in the protocol are completely false in every respect,” the mayor said in defense.

Treñas said the incident has taught him to be more vigilant especially in the transport of personnel carrying the essential goods and equipment amid the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Iloilo City.

“This incident has taught us to be more vigilant, as some of our personnel carrying essential goods and equipment may be infected by the virus,” he said.

Meanwhile, the patient, who hails from La Paz district, is asymptomatic and under strict home quarantine.

The mayor revealed that the rest of the city hall staff who came in close contact with the patient tested negative for COVID-19.