Quezon COVID-19 watch: Death toll climbs to 205; total cases at 6,594

LUCENA CITY – Quezon province recorded 18 coronavirus disease 2019  (COVID-19) deaths two weeks into the new year as the death toll to jumped to 205. Quezon, which is under modified general community quarantine, had recorded a total of 6,594 COVID-19 cases (380 active cases) with 6,009 recoveries since the pandemic broke out in March last year. In its 5 p.m. bulletin on Jan. 15, the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) reported the death of two COVID-19 patients in Lucban town and another in Mulanay town. On Jan. 3, Unisan town recorded the first COVID-19 fatality in the new year. On Jan. 4, two validated COVID-19 patients died in Lopez town and one each from Candelaria and Tayabas City. The next day, Tayabas City recorded two more deaths and Lucena City one. Gumaca town listed a fatality on Jan. 6 followed by another one in Lopez on Jan. 8. On Jan. 10, Lucena and Catanauan town logged one COVID-19 death each followed by another one in Pagbilao town the next day. Lucena recorded another death of a validated virus carrier on Jan. 12 while Guinyangan town listed a fatality on Jan. 14. The IPHO also reported the death of 11 suspected virus carriers. The death toll among COVID-19 suspects rose to 156. A person is a suspected COVID-19 carrier if he/she shows symptoms after contact with a confirmed case or has visited a place with local transmission of the disease, according to the Department of Health (DOH) protocol. Those with symptoms who belong to what is considered as a vulnerable segment of the population — elderly, those with preexisting health conditions, pregnant women, and health care workers — are also considered as coronavirus suspects.  Eighteen of the 41 municipalities / cities in Quezon no longer have any active COVID-19 cases.

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