In this photo taken Sunday, April 5, 2020, laboratory technician Irene Ooko prepares nasal swabs to be used for the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19, at the Pathologists Lancet Kenya laboratory in Nairobi, Kenya. The company, which is offering tests to patients with a doctor’s referral, was previously having to send samples to South Africa for testing but is now completing the testing in-house in Kenya. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)
CEBU CITY, Philippines – The municipality of Minglanilla now has three confirmed cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as another patient, a 31-year-old female, tested positive of the virus today, May 1, 2020.
In her virtual press conference on May 1, 2020, Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said the town’s third patient, a resident of Barangay Linao, is now admitted at Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC).
“The new patient is from Barangay Linao, Minglanilla. She is a 31-year-old female who is now admitted at VSMMC,” said Garcia.
The governor also confirmed the second COVID-19 case recorded in Talisay City, who is a 33-year-old female from Barangay San Roque and has recently visited relatives in Barangay Inayawan who also turned out to be infected with the virus.
These developments bring the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Cebu province to 33.
These figures include the five repatriated Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) from several towns and cities under Cebu province who were found out to be infected with the virus. They have been placed under quarantine in several hotels in Metro Cebu since their arrival last April 28.
Garcia reiterated her calls for all city and municipal health offices to intensify their surveillance, and reinforce stricter border controls within their respective territorial jurisdictions.
“We will be more aggressive in swab extraction from our respective towns. Starting Monday, we will be imposing a quota on each town and component city on the swab samples they will get. Because we wish to get a clearer picture of the status of the province” said Garcia in Cebuano.
The Capitol will no longer be pushing through with their plans to purchase rapid test kits and will stick to the standard swab test kits that require polymerase chain reaction (PCR) machines for examination. /rcg