Samar town gets 6 new COVID-19 cases

TACLOBAN CITY –– A town in Samar recorded its first six cases of the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on Tuesday.

Although they were asymptomatic, the patients in Jiabong town were isolated to prevent the spread of the virus, said Dr. Emmanuel Cabanalo, municipal health officer.

He appealed to the people to strictly follow all health protocols like wearing face masks and observing physical distancing to contain COVID-19.

Jiabong is a fifth-class town with more than 19,000 people spread in its 34 barangays.

Aside from the six cases in Jiabong, the Department of Health (DOH) also reported 14 new cases of the coronavirus in Eastern Visayas on Tuesday.

Motiong, also in Samar, registered three new cases of the dreaded virus.

Mayor Renato Cabael of Motiong said two of the three new cases—a 19-year-old woman and a four-year-old boy—could have been infected by their mother, 43, who earlier contracted the virus after returning to the town from Binangonan, Rizal.

“I asked our people not to worry because all of them are now confined and isolated in our facility,” Cabael said.

Aside from Jiabong and Motiong towns, the other areas in Samar that posted new COVID-19 cases were Catbalogan City and the towns of Calbiga and Paranas.

The other areas with new COVID-19 cases are Kananga in Leyte; Liloan, San Francisco, and Pintuyan—all in Southern Leyte.

Eastern Visayas presently has 695 COVID-19 cases.

Edited by LZB