Two new COVID-19 cases in City of Naga in Cebu

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The City of Naga in southern Cebu has reported two new cases of the coronavirus disease on Tuesday, June 9, 2020.

The new patients are a 43-year-old woman from Purok Gladiola in Barangay Colon and a 37-year-old man from Purok Riverside 1, Barangay Balirong. They are the city’s fourth (PN 4) and fifth (PN 5) cases, respectively.

In an official statement, Naga City Mayor Kristine Vanessa Chiong said PN 4 works as a midwife in the Vicente Mendiola Center for Health – Infirmary in the city.

PN 4 reportedly complained of colds and tonsillitis before she was swabbed on June 4 and has since underwent home quarantine while waiting for her test results.

The patient is a close contact of the city’s second patient (PN 2), a resident of Barangay Uling, who was reported last June 4. 

PN 2 gave birth in the city infirmary on May 23 but the newborn was rushed to a private hospital in Mandaue City, where she eventually passed away on May 25. The newborn was considered a probable case of COVID-19. 

Aside from PN 2, the newborn’s grandmother who is also a close contact of the child, has also tested positive for the virus and is tagged as the city’s PN 3. PN 2 and 3 are both currently staying in Cebu City.

Chiong said only PN 4 tested positive for COVID-19 among the seven staff of the infirmary who came in contact with PN 2. 

Meanwhile, PN 5 works as an electrician in a private hospital in the city’s Barangay Tuyan. He has not reported to work since June 2 after having cough and a fever. 

Chiong said he has been under isolation since June 3 and was swabbed on June 4. His test results came back positive on Tuesday, June 9.

Both PN 4 and PN 5 are now in the city-managed quarantine facility in Barangay South Poblacion while there respective immediate families are being transferred to the city’s isolation facility in Barangay Inoburan. They families will also undergo swab testing. /bmjo