PUERTO PRINCESA CITY—Puerto Princesa, Palawan Mayor Lucilo Bayron announced Saturday morning the first confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the province – a 26-year-old male Australian who has already left the country on Tuesday (March 17).
The patient traveled to the Philippines on March 5, and arrived at the Puerto Princesa International Airport (PPIA) and immediately proceeded to a certain municipality on March 7.
He first showed symptoms late March 12 and was admitted to a government hospital as a person under investigation (PUI).
The patient was discharged on March 15 after showing “mild symptoms”, and was subjected to “self-quarantine” at a certain hotel in Puerto Princesa City.
He was allowed to travel back to Australia, pending his result on March 17.
Bayron, in an early press briefing Saturday, said local authorities are now conducting contact tracing.
“Nasa stage tayo ng contact tracing. Lalo na tayong dapat mag-ingat. Ang ipinaglalaban natin hindi lang sarili natin kundi ang pamilya natin at ang lungsod ng Puerto Princesa (We are on the stage for contact tracing. We should be more careful.
We are not only fighting for ourselves but also our families and the entire city of Puerto Princesa,” Bayron said.