No new COVID case in Pangasinan

PANGASINAN, Philippines — No new coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 case was recorded in Pangasinan in the past eight days.

The provincial health office reported that as of 9 a.m. yesterday, 39 of its 26 patients have recovered.

At least 220 suspected COVID-19 patients in Pangasinan have been cleared of the virus.

The province is under enhanced community quarantine until May 15.

Meanwhile, Baguio City’s oldest COVID-19 patient, a 77-year-old man, was discharged from the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center yesterday.

He is the 14th patient in Baguio City who has recovered from the disease. Fifteen other patients, nine of them health workers, remain confined in various hospitals.

Two COVID-19 patients in Zambales have also recovered, according to the provincial health office.

The patients, a 35-year-old female health worker and a 70-year-old Filipino-American, were discharged from hospitals on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.

Cagayan’s latest patient, a resident of  Baggao town who was confined at the Cagayan Valley Medical Center, has also recovered.

Cagayan Valley has 34 confirmed cases. Twenty-nine of the patients have recovered.

Negros seafarers

Meanwhile, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases suspended the return of repatriated seafarers to their home towns in Negros Occidental after five of the 55 who recently arrived in the province tested positive for the virus.

Zeaphard Caelian, provincial humanitarian and response cluster head, said the  seafarers are quarantined in inns provided by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.

More than 100 seafarers  were supposed to arrive in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City on Friday.

Caelian said 1,557 seafarers who were stranded in Manila have sought the assistance of the provincial government. – Gilbert Bayoran, Artemio Dumlao, Raymund Catindig, Ric Sapnu