KIDAPAWAN CITY – At least a hundred families in five puroks in two barangays of Makilala, North Cotabato, have been placed under 14-day quarantine since Sunday after they were reportedly exposed to a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patient from this city, the spokesman of the Makilala local government said. 

Swab samples from 15 persons in the group were already taken, according to Lito Canedo, head of the Municipal Information and Communication Office (MICO) of Makilala.

Canedo said these individuals were among those traced by health workers from the Municipal Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (MESU) to have had direct exposure to Cotabato Patient 82, a 32-year old government employee working at the City Government of Kidapawan.

Among them were his parents, siblings, and relatives, who reside at Purok-7, Barangay Jose Rizal in Makilala.

Canedo said Cotabato Patient 82 also had drinking sessions with friends from two puroks, also in Barangay Jose Rizal.

He also attended a fiesta celebration in a purok in nearby Barangay Libertad, also in Makilala, the MICO officer added.

The MESU in Makilala, with approval from health authorities at the Cotabato Provincial Government, placed under “focus containment” Purok Marang and Purok Rambutan in Barangay Libertad, and Puroks 1, 2, and 7 in Barangay Jose Rizal – all in Makilala.

Reports said Cotabato Patient 82 was exposed to another government employee based in General Santos City sometime in the last week of August.  

DOH 12 recorded several local transmissions of in General Santos City, especially at the GenSan Fish Port.

On August 29, Cotabato Patient 82 was brought to the Kidapawan City Hospital’s Temporary Treatment and Monitoring Facility for COVID-19 after he manifested flu-like symptom, according to Cotabato second district board member and IATF official Dr. Philbert Malaluan.