Bantayan: 11 more close contacts test negative for COVID-19

Bantayan town is one of the three municipalities in Bantayan Island, northern Cebu. (Google Maps image)

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Eleven more close contacts of the first COVID-19 patient in Bantayan town have tested negative for the disease as of Sunday, May 17, 2020. The municipal government has reported this today, Sunday, May 17, 2020.

The 11 persons are close contacts of the first COVID-19 patient of the town. Swab samples from these individuals were taken last May 4.

“The Municipal Health Office is still waiting for the result from DOH of the 7 individuals ( contacts and non-contacts) who underwent swab specimen collection, last May 5,” the municipal government announced through its Facebook page.

READ: Bantayan patient’s 7 close contacts negative for COVID-19

“In the meantime, while we await the latest test results, we will continue to follow safety protocols (stay home, wear masks when outside, social distancing, washing of hands),” it added.

Since Bantayan’s first COVID-19 patient was reported last April 28, at least 44 close contacts had been identified and swabbed for COVID-19 testing. At least 12 others, who are considered persons under monitoring (PUMs) but are not among the patient’s close contacts, had also been tested.

All 56 samples returned negative for COVID-19 with seven more individuals awaiting results.

READ: Bantayan Island LGUs commit P3.5 million for district hospital, lessen referrals to Cebu City

The three municipalities on Bantayan Island — Santa Fe, Bantayan and Madridejos — have earlier agreed to allocate funds to maximize the 25-bed hospital on the island to lessen the need to refer their constituents, who need medical attention to hospitals in Cebu City.

The move, according to Banatayan Mayor Arthur Despi, was to protect their constituents from possible exposure to the coronavirus infection when they go to Cebu City, where cases of coronavirus infection had continued to increase, to seek medical attention./dbs