First the bad news. The Department of Health-Cordillera reported last week the confirmed cases of the coronavirus disease-2019 (Covid-19) in the region has increased to 18. But the good news, four of them have already recovered from the infection.
DOH-Cordillera reported that as of 5 p.m. of April 2, there are 18 Covid-19 patients in the region, of which 14 are admitted in health facilities.
Baguio has the most number of confirmed cases with 12 followed by Benguet and Abra with three cases each.
Those who recovered are the 39-year-old patient from Abra, who was the region’s first positive case; 61 and 70 years old from Baguio City; and a six-year-old girl from Benguet.
The patient from Abra and the other one from Baguio have come from countries affected by the Covid-19. The child in Benguet had a travel history to the Calabarzon region while the other senior citizen from Baguio had a travel history to the National Capital Region.
Four of those who tested positive for the disease had close contacts with the Covid-19 patients, while one was caused by local transmission.
The remaining 14 Covid-19 positive patients are in stable condition, according to the DOH report.
The DOH also reported there are 845 persons under investigation (PUIs) in the region. Of this number, 39 are admitted in various hospitals, 515 were discharged, while 291 are under home quarantine.
Nine out the 10 PUIs who died while awaiting the result of their laboratory test, tested negative of the Covid-19. Laboratory result for the other PUI who died is pending before the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine.
Health officials in the region said Covid-19 cases are expected to increase, which is why they support moves to extend the enhanced community quarantine if local officials or the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Disease decide so.
DOH-Cordillera Director Amelita Pangilinan and Baguio City Health Services Officer Rowena Galpo said they expect cases to increase, especially with the arrival of more kits to test patients, especially those labelled as PUIs showing severe symptoms of Covid-19.
This is aside from the fact that the screening of samples will be facilitated with the designation of the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center as a sub-national testing center for Covid-19. – Jane B. Cadalig
