By Zaldy Comanda
BAGUIO CITY – Sixteen new cases of coronavirus disease have been recorded over the past two days in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).
Benguet recorded eight new positive COVID-19 cases on June 11, including the first positive COVID-19 case in Mankayan. She identified herself as Glory Galino, 23, a midwife assigned to the Atayan, Balili Health Station as part of the health team issuing health declaration forms.
After being contacted by Mayor Frenzel Ayong, she agreed to reveal her identity to hasten tracing those she had close contact with. She has no travel history outside Mankayan.
She stayed and worked at the barangay health station for the past 20 days and had gone only to the municipal hall on June 9 to attend the COVID-19
webinar. From her workplace, she goes home to Sayapot, Balili where her family resides. Galino has been brought to the Benguet General Hospital at La Trinidad.
The other new patients are a 37-year-old female, Barangay Nutrition Scholar (BNS) and resident of Bagto Ucab, Itogon town; a 22-year-old male, a police officer, resident of Poblacion, La Trinidad; a 24-year-old male and 31-year-old male in Buguias, members of the Philippine National Police (PNP); a 37-year-old male in Sablan and a 50-year-old male and 35-year-old male, from the PNP and Bureau of Fire Protection from Bokod, Benguet.
Contact tracing is being conducted by the concerned local government units.
In Apayao, Gov. Eleanor Bulut-Begtang also reported on Friday six new COVID-19 cases from the towns of Pudtol and Sta, Marcela, aged 27 and 82; two from Luna, and two from Santa Marcela.
Bagtang immediately placed the areas under temporary lockdown, and ordered the strict monitoring of individuals going in and out of the areas, as well as the conduct of aggressive contact tracing.
In Abra, the sixth COVID-19 patient was a 28-year-old female teacher from San Jose Sur, Manabo town, now confined at Abra Provincial Hospital.
The region's 16th new patient is 60-year old taxi driver Wilfredo Acosta, of Barangay Honeymoon-Holyghost. Overall, he is the 37th confirmed COVID-19 patient in Baguio City.