5th Palawan patient suspected of having COVID-19 dies

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan, Philippines — A pregnant woman has become the fifth suspected coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patient to die before testing in Palawan.

Kurt Acosta, El Nido information officer and Municipal Inter-Agency Task Force (MIATF) spokesperson, said Monday that the pregnant woman from El Nido, who was admitted in Ospital Ng Palawan (ONP), died on Sunday (April 19), bringing the total COVID-related death in the province to five.

However, further details were yet to be disclosed as the investigation is ongoing.

“Initially, flagged as suspect case because of difficulty breathing. But when she came to Puerto (Princesa), there were findings that it could be possible COVID. She died last night, April 19. Because she was pregnant, she’s included among the ‘vulnerable’ sector for COVID-19,” Acosta said.

On Monday, the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (RESU) of the Department of Health (DOH) recorded the death of a 63-year-old female suspected of COVID-19 from El Nido, who died last April 15, falling five days late on its surveillance watchlist.

The island province has reported a total of five deceased suspected COVID-patients, including a 36-year-old male from Aborlan town and a 63-year-old female tourist from Manila who died in Culion that both later tested negative; a 61-year-old male local resident of Puerto Princesa City whose family refused testing; a 64-year-old female from El Nido who died last April 15 pending testing result; and the recent death of a pregnant woman from El Nido who was pending investigation.

The regional office also showed a slow turnout for Palawan province, which had been waiting for 20 test results for the last nine days, and even for the entire Mimaropa region, with only five returned results for Oriental Mindoro.

Dr. Mary Ann Navarro, the provincial health officer (PHO), said that “prioritized” mass testing had already started in the province, including patients and household contacts suspected of having COVID-19.

However, the DOH-RESU reiterated that there was no “prioritization” among the Mimaropa provinces as the center testing facility moved to San Lazaro Hospital from the RITM, after the latter recently reported that 40 of its personnel has contacted the deadly infection.

/atm