Two frontliners from Minglanilla COVID-19 positive

COVID-19 test | STOCK PHOTO

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Two more frontliners with addresses in Minglanilla town in southern Cebu tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

The local government of Minglanilla on Saturday, June 6, announced over Facebook that they recorded four new COVID-19 patients, two of whom are frontliners.

As a result, the number of documented COVID-19 cases in this second-class town located approximately 20 kilometers southeast of Cebu City has risen to 47.

“There are 47 COVID-19 cases in total with four recoveries. More than 90 percent of the patients are asymptomatic,” said Dr. Mae Vicente, Minglanilla health officer, in a text message to CDN Digital.

The local government unit (LGU) of Minglanilla said all the four new patients had been placed under isolation, and that the areas where they resided had been cordoned and disinfected.

The frontliners from Minglanilla recently discovered to have COVID-19 were a 55-year-old female employee from the Cebu City Health Office and lived in Lower Pakigne, and a 30-year-old hospital worker, also in Cebu City, who resided in Upper Linao.

The 55-year-old’s close contact, a 57-year-old female, also tested positive for COVID-19 after showing symptoms of the infection.

Citing findings from their contact tracing team, local officials of Minglanilla said that the movement of the three new patients were only limited.

They added that the close contacts of the two frontliners were their respective family members.

Meanwhile, a 28-year-old female from Lower Calajoan, Minglanilla, who worked in Talisay City, was also confirmed to have been infected.

Local officials found out that the newest patient from Lower Calajoan went to Talisay District Hospital on May 20 for consultation after experiencing cough and fever.

“Human sa usa ka adlaw nga puyo sa barangay isolation facility, nihangyo nga maghome isolation ug gi occupy niya ang second floor sa ilang balay,” Minglanilla said.

(After spending one day inside the barangay isolation facility, her request to undergo home isolation was granted, and she’s now occupying her house’s second floor.)

Cebu province, where Minglanilla belonged, is under general community quarantine (GCQ) since May 20.

The municipal government urged the public not to let their guard down even if quarantine restrictions have been eased, and that they are about to shift to a more relaxed modified GCQ.

READ MORE: Cebu province remains under GCQ but gears up for MGCQ

“Bisan ug GCQ na ta and soon mo adopt sa MGCQ, ang COVID-19 naa gihapon. Ang pagshift dili tungod kay wala nay risgo but aron mabuhi ang ekonomiya,” they said.

(Even if we’re under GCQ, and we’ll soon adopt MGCQ, COVID-19 still lingers. The need to shift is not because the risk is no longer there but this is to revive our economy.)

“So, among hangyo, dili ta magpasaya ug magpasagad, mogawas lang ug kinahanglan ug sundon ang healthy regimens,” they added.

(So, we urged everyone not to be negligent, and don’t go out of their houses unless for urgent trips. And we also urged everyone to keep practicing healthy regimens.) /dbs