SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur (MindaNews / 30 June) – In span of three days, 22 more cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) were recorded from laboratory results, bringing a total of 138 cases in Caraga Region.
Friday last week, the number of confirmed cases in the region was even higher at 29, based on laboratory tests conducted at the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) in Davao City.
The Department of Health’s Center for Health Development Caraga (DOH-CHD-Caraga) reported that of the 22 new cases, 18 are local stranded individuals, two are returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs), one with travel history in Metro Manila, and another is a health worker.
DOH-Caraga has noted that as of Monday, 10 COVID-19 patients remained positive in the followup laboratory tests while 15 have already turned negative in the SPMC laboratory results.
The new COVID-19 cases were distributed in 14 towns and three cities in the provinces of Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Sur and Surigao del Norte.
The Province of Dinagat Island remains free of COVID-19 cases while this is the first time that Siargao Island recorded a COVID-19 case, a 19-year-old female who travelled with her two other siblings From Cebu.
Dr. Terrence Kua, an official from the Provincial Hospital in Bad-as in Surigao del Norte, said that the new COVID case in Siargao and her two siblings were able to reach their hometown, Del Carmen, and subjected themselves to a home quarantine in the house of their grandmother.
She was initially tested positive during the rapid diagnostic testing a few days after their arrival that led to the collection of swab samples in June 24 which turned out positive. Her siblings, however, were tested negative.
Unlike the positive case in Del Carmen town, all of the positive cases in Agusan del Sur did not have the chance to have physical contact with their families when they arrived in the province since they were fetched and immediately sent to the quarantine facilities.
The new cases were distributed in Butuan City, Cabadbaran City, Buenavista, Carmen, Jabonga and Nasipit in Agusan del Norte; Prosperidad, Loreto, Esperanza and Sibagat in Agusan del Sur; Alegria, Del Carmen, Tubod and Mainit in Surigao del Norte; and Bislig City, Carmen and Lingig in Surigao del Sur.
The Philippine Information Agency Caraga reported that seven COVID-19 cases have recovered and discharged from the hospitals, another 28 have recovered after completing quarantine period while 103 positive cases were admitted at the hospitals and on strict facility quarantine. (Chris V. Panganiban / MindaNews)
