Negros Occidental man says coronavirus symptoms showed 3 weeks after exposure

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines (UPDATED) – A 43-year-old resident of La Castellana town in Negros Occidental tested positive for the novel coronavirus disease 3 weeks after he was exposed to confirmed cases in Iloilo province. 

He was the driver of a couple in Pavia town in neighboring Iloilo province who tested positive for the disease. Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said he likely got it from his employers.

The driver returned to Barangay Nato, La Castellana on March 13 and had finished his 14-day quarantine before he showed symptoms.

He said his first symptoms – fever and loose bowels for two days – appeared on April 5 or on the same day his employers tested positive for coronavirus. It had been 23 days since he left Iloilo province. 

He said he only learned later, on April 8, that his employers tested positive. He didn’t consult a doctor until April 11, when he informed the local government of La Castellana town about his situation. 

He was immediately put on a quarantine facility and then swabbed on April 12. His results were released on Monday, April 20.

He’s the second coronavirus case in the province. The new case was confirmed as the provincial government eased down restrictions from an enhanced community quarantine to a general community quarantine to allow movements such as limited operations of tricycles, “trisikads” or pedicabs, and e-trikes.

Lacson hailed quick actions on the part of La Castellana town, which banned tricycles and trisikads from operating.

“I believed that La Castellana is on top of the situation,” he said.

The province’s first confirmed case, a 41-year-old woman who travelled to Manila and Davao, has recovered and was already discharged from the hospital.

They’re now tracing people who may have been exposed to the second case.

Neighboring localities such as La Carlota City and Moises Padilla town have sealed off borders as precaution. – Rappler.com