BUTUAN CITY – The Department of Health-Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD) reported Wednesday night another 34 new cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Northeastern Mindanao or Caraga region.
In an online press briefing Wednesday night, DOH 13 Regional Director Dr. Jose R. Llacuna said Caraga region now registered 306 COVID-19 cases after it registered 34 new cases.
This new data came about after 95 RT-PCR results were received from Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) and Northern Mindanao TB Reference Center (NMTBR) sub-national laboratories wherein 61 tested negative while 34 tested positive for the virus.
Of the 34 new cases, 19 are from Locally Stranded Individuals (LSIs), four are Returning Overseas Filipino (ROF) workers, two Health Care Workers (HCW), six with close contacts with previous confirmed cases, and three from local transmission.
The cases came from the following areas: Butuan City (20); Surigao City (3); Agusan del Sur- Prosperidad town (2) and Veruela (1); Alegria (1), Del Carmen (2), (General Luna (2), Placer (1), San Francisco (1) and Taganaan (1), all of Surigao del Norte.
Of these cases, 27 are asymptomatic, while seven have mild symptoms of the virus, 18 are female while 16 are male, ranging from 20 years old to 30 years old.
All the new patients are now isolated in different quarantine facilities in the region and under strict monitoring and management, Llacuna.
With the spikes in COVID-19 cases in Caraga region, the region’s top health official reiterated his appeal to all Caraganons to strictly adhere to all health protocols issued by the government to avert the spread of the disease.
“Please, we must follow all the minimum health standards in an effort to stop the spread of the virus,” Llacuna said.
"We should do frequent hand washing, wear face masks, and maintain at least one-meter distance from people," he added.