5 new COVID-19 cases recorded in Palawan towns

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY –– Five new confirmed cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) were reported in Taytay, Cuyo, and Bataraza towns in Palawan, authorities said Thursday.

Taytay and Cuyo recorded their first COVID-19 positive cases, while Bataraza added two more confirmed cases on the list Thursday.

Zanie Seracarpio, Taytay municipal information officer, said in a phone interview that their first confirmed COVID-19 case is a 25-year-old male locally stranded returnee, who arrived on June 15 from Cebu.

“He was negative for the rapid diagnostic test (RDT) upon his arrival. He is still under quarantine in our facility since June 15,” Seracarpio said.

Taytay Mayor Romy Salvame, in a separate interview, said contact tracing is now being undertaken.

In a statement issued on Facebook, the Cuyo municipal government confirmed that their first two COVID-19-positive cases involved LSIs (locally stranded individuals) from the second batch of town returnee arrivals from Metro Manila. They were both reactive to RDT upon their arrival, which subsequently led to the endorsement of their swab samples for a confirmatory test.

The Cuyo patients remained asymptomatic and were under observation by the municipal health officers.

Bataraza town mayor Abraham Ibba, in a separate interview also Thursday, said the town recorded two more COVID-19 positive patients, bringing the total tally to six in this southern town.

The two new Bataraza patients were also part of the returnee arrivals on June 15. They were “both male in their 20s,” who arrived on June 9, and remained isolated in one of the town’s facilities, according to Ibba.

The Palawan province recorded a total of 39 confirmed COVID-19 cases so far, with four recoveries, one casualty, and 34 active cases.

Of the active cases, 13 are in Puerto Princesa, three are in Coron, six are in Sofronio Española, three are in Busuanga, one in Taytay, two in Cuyo, and six are in Bataraza, as of noon on July 2.

LZB