Laguna patient tests positive for COVID-19

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna, Philippines — Laguna has now one confirmed case of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), according to a health advisory issued by Governor Ramil Hernandez on social media early Sunday morning.

Hernandez said that the patient is from Santa Rosa City.

“The patient is now being taken care of. This information came from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine,” he said.

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Contact tracing is now being conducted by the provincial government and the city government of Santa Rosa.

In a separate post by Santa Rosa Mayor Arlene Arcillas, she said that the patient, labeled SR PH 1, just volunteered to be tested after experiencing flu-like symptoms and was neither being monitored nor investigated by health authorities.

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However, it is still unclear as of posting if the patient is part of the 111 cases in the Philippines announced by the Department of Health on Saturday evening.

The virus causes mild symptoms such as fever and cough for most people, but experts earlier said that older adults with preexisting health conditions were more vulnerable to the coronavirus, particularly those aged over 60-years-old.

To prevent infection, authorities are urging people to practice regular hand washing, cover the mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, and avoid close contact with those who show respiratory symptoms.