A LOCAL transmission of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) is being considered after a medical doctor in this province has tested positive for the disease.
Antique Governor Rhodora J. Cadiao, in a press conference held at the capitol on Wednesday, said the 53-year-old Covid-19 confirmed case at the Pedro L. Gindap Hospital in the municipality of Barbaza has no history of travel outside of Antique.
“The doctor said that she suspects she must have acquired the Covid-19 from a patient from Boracay who sought consultation with her,” she said.
Cadiao added that the doctor experienced flu symptoms starting June 16 so she requested to undergo the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test on June 21.
“The specimen was brought to the Western Visayas Medical Center Department of the Pathology, Sub-National Laboratory in Mandurriao, Iloilo City on June 22,” Cadiao said.
The result was released June 30 and the doctor was confirmed to have Covid-19 together with another case from the town of Culasi who is a locally stranded individual (LSI).
Meanwhile. Dr. Leoncio Abiera Jr., Provincial Health Officer at the Integrated Provincial Health Office, said in a separate interview that tracing among those who had direct contact with the doctor is currently ongoing.
“There is also a temporary lockdown of the hospital,” he said.
He said that non-Covid-19 cases are now being referred to the Municipal Health Center and the other hospitals in the province.
“We expect around 100 people to have close contact with the doctor,” he said.
He said that the close contact will undergo RT-PCR and will be required to observe the 14-days quarantine in an isolation facility within the town.
Abiera said the doctor is still undergoing medical management in a government hospital, but already in stable condition.
Meantime, the LSI patient, a 19-year old female, came home to Culasi town on June 15 through the “Uli Antique” or Antique Repatriation program onboard the FastCat from Batangas Port to Lipata Port in Culasi.
“The LSI upon her arrival underwent the rapid diagnostic test (RDT) but was found to be negative,” Abiera said.
The LSI, however, on the fifth day manifested Covid-19 symptoms. A swab test was done on June 22 while she was on a 14-day quarantine in an isolation facility in Culasi.
“We also have an ongoing tracing now for those who had direct contact with the patient,” Abiera said. (By Annabel Consuelo Petinglay)
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