2 Bicol towns record first COVID-19 cases; region’s total now 88

LEGAZPI CITY—The Bicol region towns of Tiwi in Albay and Bagamanoc in Catanduanes have recorded their first coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases over the weekend, the Department of Health here reported Sunday.

The two patients were returnees to the Bicol region and were not showing coronavirus-related symptoms when they were tested.

Bicol#87, a resident of Bagamanoc, was tested on June 1 by the town’s rural health unit after arriving from Metro Manila.

According to the DOH, the 47-year-old man, who also had traveled to Hawaii, was staying at the town’s quarantine facility when he tested positive on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Tiwi’s first case is a 31-year-old man, who arrived on June 11 from Makati City.

Since the start of the month, the Bicol region has recorded 14 new cases of COVID-19, at least 10 of whom had a history of travel outside the region.

With these new cases, the total of known COVID-19 cases in Bicol has reached 88.

Of this number, 65 were recorded in Albay province, 14 in Camarines Sur, four in Camarines Norte, and four in Catanduanes. Sorsogon has one case of COVID-19 so far, while Masbate has not recorded any.

/MUF