2 returning residents from Biliran, Samar confirmed COVID-19 positive
By Marie Tonette Marticio
TACLOBAN City - The Department of Health (DOH-8) has confirmed that two locally stranded individuals (LSIs) from Naval, Biliran and Villareal, Samar were infected with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), bringing the total number of cases in Eastern Visayas to 45.
The two new confirmed cases were taken from the 278 samples released by the Eastern Visayas Regional Testing Center (EVRTC) in this city. Of the 278, three tested positive, including the second sample of Patient EV 29 from Tarangnan, Samar.
Patient EV 44 was a 43-year old male from Villareal town, who arrived in Samar last May 29 onboard his own vehicle. He has been reactive on the rapid test conducted upon his arrival, and was immediately subjected to confirmatory testing.
The first COVID patient in Biliran province was a 19-year old student who came from Baguio. He had been isolated in Manila from May 9-24, and traveled to Catbalogan City with six other individuals on a private vehicle. He traveled to Tacloban City the following day, and arrived in Naval on May 27 onboard a utility van.
Naval Mayor Gerard Espina said he has ordered a 24-hour lockdown in the municipality starting 2 p.m. Wednesday, June 3, in order to effectively conduct contact tracing.
The official said that he has also ordered swab testing on all frontliners who may have had contact with the patient to ensure the safety not only of the province's capital town but the whole Biliran Island as well. (Marie Tonette Marticio)