LUCENA CITY –– An 81-year-old woman became the 16th coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patient in Buenavista town in Quezon province, local authorities said Tuesday.
The Buenavista Rural Health Unit reported on social media on Feb. 16 that the locality’s latest validated virus carrier had traveled to this city on Jan. 18 for medical consultation in a private hospital.
She was found with lung and heart illness on her follow-up check-up on Jan. 29.
The patient, who was advised to seek treatment in Manila, submitted herself to a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction laboratory test in a government hospital on Feb. 10. She tested positive for COVID-19.
On Feb. 12, the patient submitted herself anew to another swab test in a private hospital back in this city as a matter of protocol before admission for confinement and was still found positive for the virus.
Three days later, the patient tested positive again in another swab test.
The doctor advised the patient and her family members to stay under home quarantine since the old woman had only mild symptoms.
The five close contacts of the COVID-19 patient were also advised to stay in isolation for at least two weeks.
The town, located in Bondoc Peninsula, has logged 16 COVID-19 cases and 13 recoveries since the pandemic erupted in March last year.
The locality has still three remaining active virus carriers.
LZB