48 Bohol OFWs to undergo 2nd PCR test

Bohol Governor Arthur Yap. | CDN file

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The 48 repatriated Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who arrived in Bohol province last Tuesday, April 28, 2020, are set to undergo their second testing for the coronavirus disease 2019 today, May 5.

Bohol Governor Arthur Yap, in a live interview in government-owned PTV 4’s Laging Handa public briefing this morning, said the testing is needed to be certain of the condition of the OFWs following conflicting results of their earlier polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and rapid antibody-based test.

“Just to be totally transparent, last May 1, mayroong nareport ang DOH na nagpositive dito sa returning OFWs. May dalawa daw na nag-positve sa PCR test. After that, pina-rapid test sila ng DOH and lahat sila nag-negative,” Yap said.

“Whatever it is, I just want to say that for transparency. Gusto kong malaman ng lahat sa entire country na iyan ang situation ngayon. We are still verifying,” Yap said.

Aside from a Chinese tourist who tested positive for COVID-19 and has recovered last January, Bohol has not logged any local infection of the virus to date.

All the 48 repatriated OFWs are currently under quarantine in a hotel in Bohol.

Yap said none of the OFWs are manifesting mild or severe acute respiratory infections.

“May dalawa o tatlo na may mild na sipon. Nabibigyan sila ng gamot pero normal naman. According to the doctors, hindi naman out of ordinary yung nakikita nila,” Yap said.

(Two to three of them now have mild colds.  They were already given medication but that is just normal. According to the doctors, there is nothing out of the ordinary from what they have seen so far.)

The governor said he is confident that they have prepared enough for whatever will be the result of the second PCR test of the OFWs. / dcb