7 more Davao derby aficionados tracked down
Health execs scramble to locate people in Davao derby considered as COVID-19 spreader in Mindanao
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY Philippines — Seven more cockfighting aficionados, who attended the Davao derby last month, have been tracked down in this city by health officials here.
Epidemiologist Dr. Teodolfo Retuya, head of the Cagayan de Oro COVID-19 tracker teams said six of the aficionados are residents of Barangay Camaman-an and one from Barangay Lapasan in this city.
Retuya said all of the seven cockfighting aficionados had been placed under home quarantine although none of them had exhibited symptoms of the COVID-19.
“We think we got all of them including their kristo (barker) and placed them under observation,” Retuya said.
Retuya did not disclose how they were able to locate the cockfighting aficionados, but calls had been made by health officials all over Mindanao for those who attended the Araw ng Dabaw 6-cock derby held from March 6 to 12 at the New Davao Matina Gallera in Davao City.
Read more: Derby aficionado in Davao City tests positive of COVID-19
The derby has already been considered the spreader of COVID-19 in Mindanao with six deaths attributed to it.
Reports said thousands of cockfighting aficionados from all over Mindanao and Visayas attended the derby attracted by the P26 million prize.
Reports of derby-goers falling ill and even dying, have spread across the sabong (cockfighting) world prompting health officials to intensify the search.
Read more: Cockfighting aficionado is Bukidnon’s first COVID-19 positive case
Health officials said they had found 18 positive COVID-19 cases all over Mindanao that had been linked to the Davao derby.
Valencia City Mayor Azucena Huervas said the barangay chairman of Lumbayao, a hinterland village in Bukidnon, was found positive of COVID-19 after he attended the derby last month.
Huervas said the police and military had locked down the entire village of Lumbayao while health officials placed the sick barangay official under strict home quarantine.
Bukidnon officials said the patient had been on home quarantine prompting the police and military to lockdown the entire village of Lumbayao.
The Ministry of Health of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) reported that a 54-year-old male, who also attended the Davao derby, became the first COVID-19 case in Maguindanao province.
In Kidapawan City, Mayor Joseph Evangelista said a 48-year-old male resident who attended the derby with 30 others was also found positive of the coronavirus./dbs
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