Kin of Catanduanes’ first COVID-19 case placed under quarantine as contact tracing starts

GUINOBATAN, Albay—The family of the first confirmed case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Catanduanes province was placed under home quarantine Sunday or three days after the patient’s positive test result came as local authorities rush to conduct contact tracing.

The confirmed case, a 63-year-old woman from Virac town and with a history of travel to Japan, was one of the six new cases announced by the Department of Health (DOH) in Bicol Sunday. The total number of confirmed cases in the region is at 25.

According to the DOH, the patient was admitted at Eastern Bicol Medical Center (EBMC) last March 12, four days before the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) over Luzon started.

Dr. Elva Joson, Virac health officer, said that the patient arrived in the province on March 7 and was present at her 95-year-old father’s birthday party.

Joson said that the patient was on home quarantine since her arrival, apart from the days when she was confined at EBMC from March 12 to 18. The patient developed a cough on March 10 and fever on March 11.

“She was exhibiting mild signs and symptoms. However, she was a senior citizen with another senior citizen in their household, so she was admitted at EMBC,” Joson said.

On March 13, the patient was swabbed for COVID-19 testing in Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Muntinlupa, but the results did not arrive, Joson said.

Dr. Chet Panti of the Catanduanes Provincial Health Office said that the first swab did not have a result because the specimen collected from the patient was insufficient.

Joson said that on April 16, more than a month after the patient’s swab, they were asked to repeat the procedure.

“During the swab, the healthcare workers were on personal protective equipment (PPEs). However, she was regularly visited by a nurse, whom I asked to isolate just to be sure,” Joson said.

The patient was in strict isolation in their household of six, but Joson said there were instances that the patient “mingled with the members of the family.”

Virac Mayor Posoy Sarmiento said that they have asked the household to make a diary of their daily interactions including the times a member of the household went out to buy food and supplies.

“The contact tracing that we’re doing is from the time that she arrived here in Catanduanes,” Sarmiento said during the press conference Sunday. “It appears that from the very start, there were many people who came in contact, that is why we will ask for the recommendations of the technical people from the health office.”

Joson said those who will be traced as contacts of the patients will be monitored while in home quarantine and isolated if they show symptoms.