Mother of MIMAROPA’s youngest COVID-19 patient contracts virus

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY –– The mother of Mimaropa region’s youngest coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patient has tested positive for the virus.

Mayor Riza Pamorada, of Alcantara town in Romblon, said in a press statement, that they were now coordinating with the Caloocan local government unit (LGU) and Office of the Vice President to provide an isolation facility for the mother of the one-month-old baby.

The infant, who first tested positive for COVID-19 on July 13, is under the “recovery period” at the National Children’s Hospital. The one-month-old baby was transferred to Manila, where he was treated medically as required by the “circumstances.”

The patient, along with the mother and a babysitter, arrived at the Tablas Airport on July 5 aboard Cebu Pacific flight.

They were nonreactive to the rapid diagnostic test (RDT) upon their arrival, which subsequently allowed for their endorsement to home quarantine at their residence in Barangay San Isidro, Alcantara.

On July 7, the baby showed symptoms that prompted admission at the Don Modesto Formilleza Sr. Memorial Hospital at the neighbor municipality of Looc.

The Alcantara rural health unit said the infant patient had 29 close contacts, 17 of whom have tested negative for the infectious disease. The mother was the sole direct contact that tested positive for COVID-19 so far, while 11 are still pending confirmatory test results.

The recent development brings the total number of COVID-19-positive cases in Romblon to nine.

LZB