2 more contacts of Bicol returnees get COVID-19, raising cases in region to 110

LEGAZPI CITY, Albay, Philippines — Two more men in Camarines Sur have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), raising the number of known infections in the region to 110 on Monday.

According to the Department of Health (DOH), both new COVID-19 patients were close contacts of provincial returnees who came from Naic town in Cavite on June 14.

The first new case, a 34-year-old man from Naga City, was asymptomatic, while the other case, a 38-year-old man from Tinambac town, showed symptoms on June 23.

They are tagged as Bicol#109 and Bicol#110.

Bicol#110 is Tinambac’s first known case of COVID-19.

His prior contacts, a mother and her daughter, tagged as Bicol#91 and Bicol#92, arrived in Camarines Sur on June 14 aboard a private pickup truck, although he also had a history of travel in Laguna.

In a statement issued on Monday afternoon, the DOH urged the public to stay calm.

“The local government units are strictly following protocols and instituting measures to prevent further spread of the virus,” Dr. Ernie Vera, DOH Bicol director, said in a statement.

He said that, while the new positive cases were isolated immediately, the DOH was expecting the number to increase in the coming days.

Vera also urged residents returning to their hometowns to provide complete and correct information to the contact tracers while conforming strictly to quarantine measures.

/atm