At least 7 soldiers contract virus in Negros Oriental

DUMAGUETE CITY – At least seven soldiers in Negros Oriental tested positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Dr. Liland Estacion, assistant provincial health officer, on Saturday said the seven soldiers of the Philippine Army’s 302nd Infantry Brigade were among the 11 new cases in the province.

The soldiers were deployed in Cebu last March to help enforce the community quarantine measures on the island.

Estacion said the soldiers showed flu-like symptoms upon arrival in Negros Oriental late last month. They are currently isolated at their brigade’s headquarters at Camp Leon Kilat in Tanjay City.

Another uniformed personnel from Barangay Agan-an in Sibulan town also contracted the virus after being deployed in Cebu.

The three other new infections involved Negros Oriental repatriates who live in northern Guihulngan City, Jimalalud town, and Amlan town.

The Guihulngan City resident is a 36-year-old man who is the son-in-law of another active case, a 79-year-old man. They were both repatriated from Barangay Tisa in Cebu City which recorded a spike in coronavirus cases.

The new case was admitted to a private hospital in this city.

Estacion, however, noted that she could not yet determine whether or not this new case is a result of a local transmission as the patient and his father-in-law are both repatriates.

The Jimalalud resident, meanwhile, is a 20-year-old man from Barangay Cangharay. Swab samples were taken from the patient as he previously showed coronavirus antibodies in a rapid diagnostic test (RDT).

The Amlan native is a 36-year-old woman from Barangay Silab who arrived in Negros Oriental with her family through a private van from Mandaue City, Cebu on June 25. She was advised to undergo testing as she was coughing when she arrived.

She and her entire family are now under quarantine at the town’s government isolation facility. The municipal government earlier said it would have the patient’s family members undergo swab testing on Saturday, July 4.

A 33-year-old woman from the village of Talay in this city was also reported to have recovered from COVID-19 after testing negative in a repeat swab test.  Her 44-year-old boyfriend, however, remains infected with the coronavirus and is still under treatment at a private hospital here.

Estacion reminded the public to avoid being relaxed even as the province is now under a more relaxed modified general community quarantine (MGCQ).

“We should always wear masks, wash our hands, use alcohol, and observe physical distancing because this will make us less susceptible from contracting the disease or spreading it to others,” Estacion said.

/MUF