Baby, 5 kids catch COVID-19 in Pangasinan town

SAN MANUEL, Pangasinan, Philippines – A one-year-old boy and five other children were among those who tested positive for COVID-19 in this town on Thursday.

Three boys, aged nine, 12 and 13, and two girls, aged seven and 13, were infected.

The town logged 28 new cases, the highest recorded in a day, according to the municipal government.

The oldest patient is an 85-year-old woman.

Most of the patients were infected by their family members who were exposed to their co-workers or have travel history.

The town had 74 active cases as of Thursday.

In Negros Occidental, 179 deaths due to COVID were recorded in the past three weeks, the highest in recent months, according to provincial inter-agency task force on COVID-19 officer Rayfrando Diaz.

Provincial health officer Ernell Tumimbang said the province has 3,514 active cases.

Tumimbang said beds at designated COVID referral hospitals are at full capacity.

Molecular lab locked down

Meanwhile, in Zamboanga City, a molecular laboratory was placed on lockdown after 12 employees, including a security guard, contracted the virus.

Zamboanga City Medical Center chief Aftdal Kunting said the laboratory is under the supervision of the hospital.

Kunting said the infected employees were asymptomatic and brought to a temporary treatment and monitoring facility.

The molecular laboratory caters to residents of Zamboanga Sibugay, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. – Gilbert Bayoran, Roel Pareño