Lola from Lapu-Lapu City is VSMMC’s first COVID-19 recovery

A health worker from VSMMC gives Mommy Elizabeth a bouquet of origami flowers shortly before her discharge on April 24, 2020. Mommy Elizabeth was VSMMC’s first patient to recover from COVID-19. | Screenshot from VSMMC’s Live Facebook Video

CEBU CITY, Philippines – A 67-year-old lola from Lapu-Lapu City became the first-ever patient of the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) to recover from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Elizabeth Taghoy, who is fondly called as ‘Mommy Elizabeth’, is the 25th individual who was officially declared by health authorities to have been cleared of the virus in Central Visayas.

Mommy Elizabeth was also the second patient from Lapu-Lapu City who recovered from COVID-19.

A send-off ceremony organized by VSMMC’s medical practitioners and staff greeted Mommy Elizabeth shortly before she was discharged from the hospital on Friday afternoon, April 24.

Read: Lapu-Lapu has 10 more COVID-19 cases — exec

| Photo courtesy of Junard “Ahong” Chan

Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard Chan said he is very happy with Mommy Elizabeth’s recovery.

“Isip inyung Mayor, emosyonal ang atong gibati karon kay sa hinay-hinay, naka-recover na ang atong mga pasytente lakip na ang 6 pa ka laing symptomatic nga padayon pa nga nagpa-ayo sa tambalanan. Ako moingon nga dako gyud ikatabang ang inyung pag-ampo ug pagsalig sa kahitas-an,” Chan said in a Facebook page this morning.

(As your Mayor, I cannot help but feel very emotional with reports on the recovery of our COVID-19 patients including six other asymptomatic individuals who remain admitted in the hospitals. I can proudly say that our prayers worked miracles.)

VSMMC health workers gave Mommy Elizabeth greeting cards, balloons, and origami flowers as she was escorted out of the health facility on Friday.

They sang happy songs and cheered for her as she was about to board a waiting car that will take her home to Barangay Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City.

| Photo courtesy of Junard “Ahong” Chan

Government employees, family members, and friends also welcomed her upon her arrival in her home in Barangay Maribago.

A teary-eyed Mommy Elizabeth thanked those who showed support for her as she fought her battle against the dreaded virus.

Mommy Elizabeth was admitted at VSMMC last April 6 and stayed at the government hospital for 22 days.

As of Friday, a total of 12 COVID-19 patients remained admitted at the hospital.

The number of coronavirus recoveries in Central Visayas has continually overtaken deaths. However, the total confirmed cases in the region have jumped to 397.

Health officers here said that massive testings now being conducted in Cebu City were among the factors behind the sharp increase in COVID-19 cases in Cebu. / dcb