Presumptive positive: DOH records 16 cases in Central Visayas

CEBU, Philippines — There are now 16 presumptive positive cases for the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Central Visayas.

Department of Health (DOH)-7 Regional Director Jaime Bernadas said they have recorded eight additional presumptive positive cases yesterday.

Of the eight, six are from Cebu Ciy, one from Negros Oriental and one from Cordova, Cebu.

The DOH had reported last Wednesday eight presumptive positive cases in Cebu – one from Lapu-Lapu City, one from Mandaue City and six from Cebu city.

Cebu City has the most number of "presumptive positive cases" with 12.

"For confirmation pa na siya. But we are treating them presumptive positive kay ato naman gihimo ang containment activities," Bernadas said.

The presumptive positive cases in the region were brought to Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) for confirmation.

The confirmation results of the first batch that they had sent to RITM are still pending.

The containment measures include contact tracing of those who got exposed to the "presumptive positive case" and the installation of containment facilities in the different local government units.

Cebu City Health Officer Daisy Villa, for her part, had confirmed the number of “presumptive” positive cases of COVID-19 in Cebu City.

“Sa report naa tay presumptive positive.  Kanang presumptive positive pasabot ana pwede sa confirmation mo-negative, pwede sab mo-positive,” said Villa.

Villa said that an initial testing was done at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, and they are still awaiting confirmation from the RITM.

She said that they are closely monitoring these presumptive positive cases and have done contact tracing and placed the people who had direct contact with them on a 14-day quarantine.

“Atong gibuhat kay presumptive positive siya, so ato gikordon, gi-lock up ang kadtong lugar, ang compound.  Kay ngano man, dili nato i-allow na ma-expose sila, magsige og gawas-gawas contaminating the whole barangay,” said Villa.

Villa added that they are not allowed to leave and police personnel are guarding them to make sure they stay home.

“Kung pananglitan mo-negative so at least we’ve done something, malipay ta. Pag mo-positive at least naa tay nabuhat na ma-control nato ang transmission sa gawas,” said Villa.

Meanwhile, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said that while the province has been placed on enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), they have not implemented any restriction to the mobility.

Garcia clarified this after confusions arose with the release of Executive Order No. 5-N placing the entire province under ECQ.

The governor said that the restriction is on the international flights coming in to Cebu from 12:01 a.m. today.

“Wala pa tay giimplementar nga stay at home sa kadtong kwalipikado.  Apan og 65-anyos na ka or above or estudyante ka, dili na ka kagawas sa balay.  Magpabilin gihapon ang atong 24-hour curfew sa tanang mga studyante ug sa tanang 65-anyos and above unless dunay medical condition nga kinahanglan siya moadto sa iyang doctor,” Garcia said.

Garcia asked the public not to go into panic buying, since the supermarkets and grocery stores would remain open.

“Bisan pa kon unya moabot ang panahon nga kamong tanan, anaa na lamang sa tagsa tagsa ka balay, duna gihapon tay tugtan nga makagawas ug magpadayon gihapon ang atong mga groceries ug supermarkets nga abli, makapadayon gihapon kamo pagkuha og mga supplies, exemption gayod ang atong groceries ug supermarkets sa atong lockdown. Dili ni masira. Busa ayaw mo og panic. Stay calm,” Garcia said.

Garcia said the food supply in the province is sufficient.  GAN (FREEMAN)