3 more Bicol medical frontliners test positive for coronavirus

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines  – Three of Bicol’s 4 new cases of the coronavirus disease are medical frontliners, according to the Department of Health Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD) in Bicol on Tuesday, April 28, bringing the recorded number of coronavirus cases in the region to 38.

The DOH CHD Bicol said that Patient #36 is a 28-year-old female from Legazpi City. She experienced symptoms of the coronavirus disease on March 30, but only consulted doctors at the Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital (BRTTH) on Monday, April 27.

Patient #37 is a 54-year-old male. Patient #38 is a 56-year-old female, the first case from Ligao City.

Both did not show symptoms of COVID-19 but still went to doctors and their tests showed that they have the disease. 

Earlier, 5 frontliners had tested positive for the coronavirus disease in Bicol. 

Patient #35 is not a health worker and no further details about the person was given by the DOH.

The 4 new cases belonged to the group of 45 cases who were tested, 41 of whom did not have COVID-19.

In Bicol’s 6 provinces, Albay has the highest number of COVID-19 patients with 30 cases. Camarines Sur has 7 and Catanduanes has one. There are currently 296 suspect cases in the region. 

Albay province has had 5 fatalities from the coronavirus disease, while Naga City and Catanduanes had one death each.

The DOH tracker data, however, shows that Albay has 25 coronavirus cases as of Tuesday. At least 6 have recovered but 2 died from the disease.

Despite the increasing number of coronavirus cases in Albay, the national government’s Inter-Agency Task Force downgraded the province’s enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) to general community quarantine (GCQ). 

The DOH CHD Bicol reminded the public that the ECQ remains in effect. Residents must still comply with its guidelines and directives. The GCQ will take effect on May 1. (READ: Salceda fears second wave, cites poor contact tracing and testing)

The agency urged residents to continue staying at home to minimize the risk of infection. 

The DOH said that there are 7,958 coronavirus cases in the country as of Tuesday. The death toll has reached 530, while 975 coronavirus patients have recovered. – Rappler.com