LEYTE, Philippines — Baybay City and Tanauan town in this province have recorded their first coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases from beneficiaries of the government’s Balik Probinsiya program.
Baybay City Mayor Jose Carlos Cari said their first patient is a 28-year-old male, who arrived in the province on May 21.
The first case in Tanauan is a 26-year-old male.
Minerva Molon, Department of Health-Eastern Visayas Center for Health Development director, said Balik Probinsya beneficiaries were tested upon their arrival in the province.
Molon said the swab samples were sent to a laboratory in Cebu, but some local government units opted for a retest and sent the samples to the Divine Word Hospital COVID-19 Center in Tacloban City.
“We will get the bus manifesto where these two passengers rode for contact tracing,” she said.
The patients were brought to isolation facilities in their area.
Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez had earlier expressed concern that the Balik Probinsiya program could bring the virus to areas which has not recorded any case.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said LGUs should implement measures to ensure that returning residents are tested for COVID-19.
”I know that those who returned to the provinces were tested. But local government units are encouraged to have their own testing facilities and quarantine Balik Probinsya participants,” Roque said.
”It is important to test, trace and treat, triple T or T3,” he said. Christina Mendez