Deaths due to COVID-19 in Calabarzon breach 100

SAN PEDRO CITY –– Over a hundred people infected with the coronavirus disease in Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon (Calabarzon) provinces had died, government data showed on Saturday.

The region was identified as a high-risk area for an outbreak and was included in the enhanced community quarantine areas that President Duterte recently ordered extended until May 15.

Targeted community testing for the virus has started in Cavite and a few towns and cities, initiated by their respective local governments.

As of April 24, the Department of Health said the number of confirmed COVID-19 patients in the region reached 818, of which 101 died.

On the other hand, 140 people have recovered from the disease.

Funeral wake

Rizal province still has the highest number of patients at 279, of which 39 had died.

In Laguna, the number of patients rose to 255 in recent weeks, of which 20 had died.

A notable surge was traced to Los Baños town after at least eight people in a compound in Barangay Anos tested positive for the virus.

This was revealed by Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla in a post on Saturday and was confirmed by a local health worker.

Remulla said the virus was believed to have been transmitted after a suspected coronavirus patient died and a funeral wake was held.

Remulla said he learned this after Laguna health officials requested that the specimen samples of those who attended the wake be tested in a Cavite laboratory, even though the DOH had yet to fully accredit the testing facility.

Residents in Anos said village officials had disinfected the said private compound.

In Cavite, 150 people were infected, of whom 21 had died.

Batangas has 81 cases with 14 deaths, while Quezon has 53 cases with seven deaths, the DOH said.

LZB