ILOILO CITY—A health worker in Alimodian town, Iloilo province breached quarantine protocol and infected seven family members with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Dr. Jessie Glen Alonsabe, chief epidemiologist of the Department of Health-6 (DOH-6), said the health worker went back home while the result of the COVID-19 swab testing was still pending instead of staying at the isolation facility.
“That is why seven members of the family were infected,” Alonsabe said.
The person is one of the five health workers of the Alimodian local government who tested positive for COVID-19 last June 29.
The five were part of a team monitoring locally stranded individuals (LSIs) staying at the town’s designated isolation facility. One of the LSIs previously tested positive for COVID-19.
The DOH-6 reiterated the need for everyone to cooperate and follow protocols.
“Once you have a swab test, it means you are a high risk. That’s why the protocol is to strictly isolate while the result is pending and to restrict mobility,” said Dr. Renilyn Reyes, chief of DOH-6’s Public Health Program Development.
Reyes said strict isolation is meant to curb the spread of infection as well as lessening the number of people who need to be traced.