Batangas resident tests positive for COVID-19

SAN PEDRO CITY, Philippines -A patient, who had recently traveled from Italy, tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The patient was the third reported COVID-19 case in Batangas.

With this development, local governments in the province are now discussing the possibility of enforcing a province-wide quarantine, based on the guidelines set by the interagency task force and recently announced by President Duterte.

The patient, whose gender was not disclosed, is currently confined in a private hospital in Lipa City, said Lipa City mayor Eric Africa in a phone interview Saturday.

Africa said the patient is actually a resident of Lemery town in Batangas and was a frequent traveler to Italy which is now struggling to contain the coronavirus.

“From Italy, the patient went home to Lemery. When the symptoms began to manifest, the person went to Lipa City,” Africa said.

Africa said the patient had gone to a hospital “but did not disclose the travel history that was why (the patient) was not tagged a (Person Under Investigation).” The patient was then transferred to another private facility in Lipa City where the case was confirmed.

Africa, however, could not determine yet how long was the interval from the time the patient arrived in the Philippines and the time he was admitted to a hospital.

Africa said they have been implementing measures to prevent the virus spread, like tight security and inspection of public buses “but the patient had gone around (Batangas) in a private car.”

He also lamented how the patient had slipped out of Lemery undetected.

Batangas governor Hermilando Mandanas on Friday confirmed two cases in Batangas City.

According to the national government’s guidelines, at least two cases from different cities or municipalities may warrant a province-wide quarantine.  Maricar Cinco, @maricarcincoINQ, Inquirer Southern Luzon

Edited by MUF