COTABATO CITY—A 36-year-old nurse and a five-month-old baby boy tested positive for SARS-COV2, the virus that causes COVID-19, raising the number of cases in this city to 25.
The nurse is one of the 1,400 workers of the Cotabato Regional Medical Center (CRMC) who underwent reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction test due to possible exposure to a pneumonia patient who died and belatedly found out to have COVID-19.
The boy, a resident of the city, was first admitted at the CRMC on Thursday last week for urinary tract infection but eventually tested positive for COVID-19.
Dr. Meyasser Patadon, Cotabato City health chief, told reporters that the travel history of the child or his parents is still being determined.
His possible exposure is also under investigation.
Of the city’s 25 cases, 15 have already recovered.
Throughout the Soccsksargen region, the total cases have climbed to 195 as of Thursday with new cases also recorded in General Santos City, and the provinces of Sultan Kudarat and Cotabato. Some 76 patients have already recovered from the disease.
Board Member Philbert Malaluan, speaking for the Cotabato provincial IATF, said one of the province’s recent case is a returning overseas worker while another is a woman from Pigcawayan town who frequents the CRMC for dialysis sessions.
Health officials are still probing how she contracted the virus.