ZAMBALES, Philippines – Three Zambales residents, who were infected with the coronavirus disease, died on Friday (April 23), raising the number of COVID-19 fatalities in the province to 37.
The latest deaths included a 30-year-old man from the capital town of Iba and a 44-year-old man from Castillejos town, according to an advisory from Dr. Noel Bueno, provincial health director.
The third fatality was a 78-year-old woman from San Antonio town.
Bueno said 37 new infections were recorded on April 23 in all 13 Zambales towns.
Most of these new patients, including a child, were exposed to virus-infected household members, local health data shows.
Among them is a family at Barangay Pamatawan in Subic town. Four family members were exposed to the head of the household.
The youngest patient, an 8-year-old boy from Barangay (village) Rizal in San Marcelino town, was infected by his mother.
In San Narciso town, a 34-year-old contact tracer may have caught the virus from her mother.
As of Friday, the total COVID-19 cases in the province has ballooned to 1,692. At least 283 of these are active.