Three more COVID-19 cases in Lipa City

LIPA CITY, Philippines (The Filipino Connection) — Three more residents of Lipa City tested positive for the novel coronavirus, Mayor Eric Africa announced Saturday.

This brings the total of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the city to 24, the most in Batangas. Six have died while three have recovered from the virus.

In a Facebook post, the mayor said one of the new patients is a 54-year-old woman from Barangay 7. She is the daughter of a 91-year-old female COVID-19 patient from the same barangay, who passed away on April 3.

Also testing positive for the new coronavirus COVID-19 was a 61-year-old male patient from Barangay Tangway. The patient does not have a history of travel nor exposire to a COVID-19 patient. He is now currently admitted in an undisclosed private hospital.

Meanwhile, a 57-year-old man from Barangay Marawoy died of the coronavirus disease on April 15 but was only later confirmed to have COVID-19. He is the sixth patient from Lipa who perished from the disease.

Africa earlier said seven of the total patients who got infected with COVID-19 were health care workers; seven others had travel history in Metro Manila and countries infected by COVID-19 while the City Health Office is still investigating how the remaining patients contracted the virus.

Calabarzon Region, where Lipa City is located, is among the high-risk areas approved by President Rodrigo Duterte for the extension of the enhanced community quarantine until May 15.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said that the decision to maintain ECQ in areas like Metro Manila was "based on how quickly the disease is being transmitted and the ability of the health sector to give medical attention to those who will get sick."

The Filipino Connection is a regional partner of Philstar.com.