Quezon has 1 new confirmed COVID-19 patient but health exec predicts surge in coming days

LUCENA CITY –– Quezon province has one new confirmed coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patient Friday, bringing the total number of those with the illness to 42.

In its 11 a.m. report, the Quezon Public Information Officer, citing the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO), disclosed that the new case was traced to Lucena City.

No added detail was given on the latest COVID-19 patient from Lucena, which has 15 virus carriers.

The number of COVID-19 patients in the province was reduced to 33 because three have recovered and six had died.

In the latest tally, Lucena has 14 patients; Tayabas, six; Candelaria, three; Unisan and Pagbilao, two each; Sariaya, Calauag, Sampaloc, Pitogo, Real, and Lopez, one each.

On Thursday, Dr. Grace Santiago, IPHO chief, predicted the continued increase in the number of confirmed COVID-19 patients in the province.

She attributed the coming surge to the return of test results from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicines in Muntinlupa City.

She said the test results arrived in trickles because RITM is the only reference laboratory in Calabarzon.

To speed up the testing process, Santiago disclosed that the provincial and Lucena City governments have been working to help convert the laboratory of Lucena United Doctors Hospital here into a “biosafety level 2 plus” (BSL-2+) laboratory that could conduct the test.

She said they need at least one month to put up the BSL-2+ laboratory.

She revealed that the IPHO has “rapid test kits,” which are used to screen only those who needed to have the confirmatory swab test.

LZB