2 returning to Ilocos, who had been to virus hot spot Manila, added to region’s COVID-19 tally

DAGUPAN CITY—At least two persons returning to the Ilocos from virus hot spot Manila had been added to the region’s tally of COVID-19 patients.

An overseas Filipino worker (OFW) from this city and a seafarer from the town of Bacnotan, La Union province tested positive for coronavirus upon their return.

The 32-year-old OFW was returning from Riyadh and stayed at the Century Park Hotel in virus hot spot Manila while awaiting results of tests done in Manila.

The Manila tests showed her negative for SARS Cov2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, so she was allowed to travel to Pangasinan on a bus rented by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).

She was brought directly to a quarantine facility in this city and was tested. Results from the Region 1 Medical Center showed her positive for the virus.

Though without symptoms, the OFW was quarantined in the medical center.

Dr. Ophelia Rivera, the city’s COVID-19 focal person, said the city government is coordinating with the Department of Health (DOH) to hunt the other OFWs on the same bus as the infected woman.

In Bacnotan, Mayor Angelito Fontanilla said the 43-year old seafarer traveled to Metro Manila for his pre-deployment medical examination on June 22.

Test results released the next day, however, showed he was positive for coronavirus and was brought to the Balaoan District Hospital to be confined. The seafarer had no symptoms, too.

TSB