MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Philippines – A patient from Catbalogan, Samar has been found positive of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the Eastern Visayas Department of Health Center for Health Development (CHD), said through a statement released this afternoon, May 3, 2020.
The latest addition brings to 14 the number of COVID-19 positive individuals in Region 8.
Patient EV-14 is a 54-year-old female resident of Catbalogan who works at the local government unit of Tarangnan, Samar.
Patient EV-14 was believed exposed to patient EV-2 last March 16 and manifested the symptoms of COVID-19 on April 24.
The surveillance is also looking into possibility that the patient may have contracted the virus from other positive cases in Tarangnan other than patient EV-2.
The statement also said that 106 out of 110 samples tested negative of the virus, with one positive result. Three samples are still pending to complete the 13th batch.
The second swab test result of Patient EV-5 from Burauen, Leyte is now negative. She will be discharged tomorrow, and will be subjected to a 14-day home quarantine.
Seventeen out of 50 specimens of batch 14 also yielded negative results in tests done at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) which is a subnational laboratory. Thirty-three are still pending.
On Saturday, May 2, during a virtual press conference with the Philippine Information Agency hosted by regional director Ms. Olive Tiu, Samar Governor Michael Tan Mayor and Tarangnan Mayor Arnel Tan explained the difficult situation in their respective areas brought about by the positive cases. /rcg