Sec. Dino fully recovers from COVID-19

Secretary Michael Dino of the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (OPAV) is being wheeled out of a private hospital in Cebu City after fully recovering from his COVID-19 infection. | Photo courtesy of Dr. Yong Larrazabal’s Facebook account

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Secretary Michael Dino of the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (OPAV)  has been discharged from a private hospital in Cebu City after fully recovering from the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection.

Dino first announced that he tested positive for COVID-19 on February 15.

In a statement, Dino said that he first experienced mild symptoms of the virus and was isolated with monitoring.

However, the secretary’s symptoms progressed from mild to moderate, prompting his admission to a private hospital in Cebu City.

In a Facebook post of Dr. Potenciano “Yong” Larrazabal III, the President of Cebu Doctors’ University Hospital, said that Dino developed moderate pneumonia.

“Plasma exchange, Convalescent Plasma Therapy, anticoagulants, steroids, and various IV antiviral meds were administered (to Dino),” Larrazabal said on his Facebook post.

Dino also expressed his gratitude to Larrazabal, to his attending doctors, nurses, and all other hospital personnel who closely monitored his progress.

“I am also very grateful to my attending doctors who closely monitored my progress: Dr. Bryan Lim; Dr. Albert Santos; Dr. Joshua Abejero; Dr. Edgar Tan; Dr. Cindy Tan; Dr. Camille Espina; Dr. Juliet Noel; and Dr. Ma. Isabel Mahinay,” Dino said.

Aside from Dino, his wife Tin and son Shawn, have also fully recovered from the virus.

“To each and every one of you who said a prayer for my quick recovery my deepest gratitude,” he added.

He also thanked President Rodrigo Duterte and Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go for their warm wishes for his speedy recovery, and for their continued support and assistance to the people of Visayas in this time of crisis.

“Special thanks to Gov. Garcia, the tri-city mayors of Cebu (Mayors Labella, Cortes and Chan, Talisay City Mayor Gullas, Cebu City vice mayor Mike Rama, our beloved local chief executives all over the Visayas, the consuls in the Visayas, and the Singaporean Ambassador,” he said.

As of the moment, Dino said that he was advised by his doctors to still be on quarantine for seven more days to monitor and manage his full convalescence. /rcg