Lapu-Lapu City reports first COVID-19 recovery; no new case for CV

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Lapu-Lapu City reports its first patient to have recovered from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on Saturday, April 4, 2020.

Recent data from the Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH – 7) showed that two more COVID-19 patients recovered from the infection as of Saturday.

This development means the total number of recoveries in the region is now at 10.

The patient from Lapu-Lapu City was a 69-year-old male from Lapu-Lapu City in Mactan Island while the other new recovery is from Cebu City — a 69-year-old female.

The DOH – 7 also announced that as of Saturday, there had been no additional cases of COVID-19 in Central Visayas – the fourth time since the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) started conducting tests for samples taken here.

No new mortalities were also reported.

As a result, the confirmed cases for the region remain at 34 while fatalities at six.

Recovered vs. Laboratory Negative

Dr. Jaime Bernadas, director of DOH – 7, also introduced a new protocol in classifying patients who recovered from COVID-19.

Bernadas, in a statement issued to the media on Saturday, said they would be tagging those who recovered as Laboratory Negative.

“We have changed our labeling of patients that are now negative after having been previously positive from Recovered into Laboratory Negative since some are still in the hospitals and yet to achieve full recovery despite negative results of their repeat tests,” Bernadas said.

This means that Laboratory Negative refers to patients who have tested negative of COVID-19 after undergoing repeat tests.

“The repeat test is done to check if the virus has already been cleared in the system of the confirmed case and is one of the criteria for discharge,” Bernadas said.

In their previous reports, DOH – 7 used Recovered to determine if a patient is safe for discharge from health facilities.

The two new recoveries for Saturday underwent repeat tests, and were immediately classified as Laboratory Negative.

“Once the repeat test is negative, the patient is no longer capable of infecting another person,” Bernadas added.

Another criterion that the DOH-7 has placed to identify if a COVID-19 patient will be discharged is an improvement of his or her symptoms.

Tests

For Saturday, the DOH – 7 said that a total of 65 test results conducted at the VSMMC were negative of COVID-19.

These include the two laboratory negatives.

The DOH – 7 is also calling for the public to show unity and extend support amid the crisis./dbs