PUERTO PRINCESA CITY – Palawan province has recorded two new coronavirus positive patients Sunday afternoon, bringing the total of cases in the province to 46, the highest in the MIMAROPA (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan) region.
The two new cases were in Bataraza town. They were recorded after Roxas town recorded two locally stranded individuals (LSIs) as its first two coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients.
Dr. Leo Salvino, Roxas Municipal Health Officer (MHO), in a phone interview Sunday morning, said that the patients, a 24-year-old woman, and a 30-year-old man, both came home from Metro Manila.
The male patient, who arrived on June 14 aboard 2Go Shipping Lines, will be brought to Roxas Medical Hospital for “better management and isolation.” The asymptomatic female patient, who flew home aboard Cebu Pacific on June 15, will remain under home quarantine.
The two patients were nonreactive to the rapid diagnostic test (RDT) upon their arrival in Puerto Princesa City. After their 14-day quarantine period prior to being discharged, the two tested positive in their repeat RDT which subsequently required Salvino’s endorsement for a confirmatory test.
In Bataraza, Mayor Abraham Ibba, in a separate phone interview, confirmed that the two additional COVID-19 positive cases are LSIs, who were also part of the earlier batch with six confirmed cases.
“We now have eight positive cases. One male and one female, aged between 20 and 40 years old,” Ibba said.
Ibba also denied reports that there were recoveries from their previously recorded patients.
“We still don’t have recoveries. The first positive cases will undergo re-swab maybe next week,” Ibba added.
Palawan province now has a total of 46 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 10 recoveries, one death, and 35 active cases, as of 3 p.m., Sunday (July 5).
As of Sunday, Occidental Mindoro follows Palawan with 45 COVID-19 cases. Meanwhile, Oriental Mindoro has recorded 27 COVID-19 cases and Romblon and Marinduque both have six patients each.