Albay town locks down compound of COVID-19 patient, closes zone roads

GUINOBATAN, Albay, Philippines — The compound where Bicol’s fourth coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) positive patient lives and all roads in and out of the zone where the place is was put under lockdown since Saturday evening in this town.

A 60-year-old woman in Zone 1 of San Rafael village, who was previously a person under monitoring because of her history of travel and contact, was found to be positive of the disease.

Guinobatan mayor Ann Ongjoco told Inquirer Sunday that the patient was not exhibiting symptoms anymore and that swabs were taken also on Saturday to determine whether the patient is already free of the virus causing the disease.

She said that the compound and the road closure will last until the result of the second swab arrives.

Dr. Joana Limos, the municipal health officer, said in an online announcement that residents must take serious precautionary measures.

“Even if this is only one case, we must take this seriously,” Limos said in an online announcement.

The patient from Guinobatan has yet to be assigned a patient code.

According to the Department of Health (DOH) Bicol, she arrived from Manila on March 10 and had a consultation at the Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital (BRTTH) in Legazpi City on March 21.

“She was on board the same flight as Joey Bautista,” Ongjoco told Inquirer. “She was behind him.”

Joey Bautista, Mulatto frontman, passed away due to COVID-19 on March 19.

He was in Legazpi City on March 11 for a private party.