By Jinky Tabor
VIRAC, Catanduanes – Acting Governor Shirley A. Abundo emotionally pleaded with her constituents to stay home and follow the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), especially now that the province just recorded its first case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) case.
Acting Governor Shirley A. Abundo (Photo via Jinky Tabor / MANILA BULLETIN)
In a press conference, Abundo called for the cooperation of Catandunganons in the contact-tracing for Patient 25, a 63-year-old female, from Barangay San Isidro Village, who arrived from Japan last March 7.
Latest reports showed that she even hosted a birthday party, and had a family reunion between March 7 and March 9, with relatives and visitors coming from the towns of San Andres and Caramonan.
Virac Municipal Health Officer Dr. Elva Joson said the patient voluntarily consulted with doctors after suffering from cough and fever, and was admitted at Eastern Bicol Medical Center here last March 12.
After apparently recovering from the initial symptoms, she was sent home after six days, and was advised to go on strict home quarantine.
Dr. Franchette Panti of the Provincial Health Office (PHO) said swab samples was taken from Patient 25, with the first specimen sent to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Manila on March 24.
She was advised to submit a second swab sample by the Department of Health (DOH), and this was sent to the Bicol Regional Diagnostic and Reference Laboratory (BRDRL) last April 16. This second test turned out positive.