Soldier is 8th COVID-19 patient in Zamboanga City

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines — A soldier belonging to the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) based here has tested positive for new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infection, becoming the eighth case in the city.

According to Mayor Maria Isabelle Salaza, who made the announcement on social media, the recent patient is a 41-year-old man who lives in Barangay Calarian.

So far, she said an investigation had shown that the patient had no recent travel history to an area with known COVID-19 infections.

She added that health authorities are establishing his possible direct exposure to a person infected with COVID-19.

The soldier is now confined at the Zamboanga City Medical Center (ZCMC) and is stable.

Contact tracing for his family members and close friends are ongoing, Salazar said in a statement.

Westmincom spokesperson Maj. Arvin John Encinas said they were praying for the fast recovery of the soldier.

“We are currently exerting earnest efforts to trace all possible contacts of the patient,” Encinas added.

Encinas said they had not fallen short of observing stringent measures to help contain the virus which brought the military to a battlefront with an unseen enemy.

Encinas added that the military had imposed among its personnel and visitors several precautionary measures, such as physical distancing, wearing of face masks, and disinfection.

While non-uniformed personnel of the Westmincom observed the work-from-home policy, all military personnel were directed to stay inside Camp Navarro.

/atm