Central Visayas DOH keeping track of councilors at same venue as COVID-19 carrier during league meet

CEBU CITY—The Central Visayas office of the Department of Health (DOH) is monitoring several councilors for signs of COVID-19 infection.

Jaime Bernadas, DOH regional director, said the DOH office considered local officials, who were at the Philippine Councilors’ League (PCL) meeting in San Juan, Metro Manila, as subject for monitoring after it was learned that a COVID-19 carrier had been in the event.

Bernadas said he believed, however, that there was a slim chance of the councilors getting infected because 14 days had already passed since the PCL convention last Feb. 22 and none of the councilors had reported falling ill or having COVID-19 symptoms.

As of March 12, at least 53 persons were being surveilled for symptoms while 125 were being monitored, including some of the councilors at the PCL conference in San Juan.

No detail had been released on the number of councilors from Central Visayas who were at the PCL meet and are being watched for COVID-19 signs.

Bernadas said health workers were also checking other persons who came into contact with the 64-year-old councilor from Tayasan town, Negros Oriental, who had tested positive for the disease.

Bernadas said the councilor is still in critical condition at a private hospital in Dumaguete City.

The councilor, he said, had a liver transplant prior to being diagnosed with COVID-19. His case is consistent with health experts’ findings that the most vulnerable to COVID-19 are the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions.

Edited by TSB