Davao region’s first Covid-19 patient recovers

DAVAO City ― The 21-year old patient who was confined at the Davao Regional Medical Center (DRMC) in Tagum City for the 2019 novel coronavirus disease has recovered and has been discharged already, the Department of Health-Davao said yesterday.

Dr. Annabelle Yumang, DOH-Davao director, said the three test results of PH130, Davao region’s first Covid-19 confirmed case, showed that she has been cleared of the infection.

In a press conference, Yumang stressed that PH130, a resident of Pantukan, Davao de Oro, can now be counted as among the patients who have recovered from the deadly and highly contagious disease.

The patient traveled from the United Kingdom with a layover via Doha, Qatar to Manila then to Davao on Feb. 29 via Philippine Airlines.

She was placed in isolation on March 9 at a local health facility after seeking consultation due to cough. The following day, she was transferred and admitted for isolation and testing to DRMC in Tagum City.

Dr. Cleo Fe Tabada, head of DOH-Davao’s Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, said they have conducted contact tracing, starting from the relatives, friends, and places visited not only by PH130 but also of the two latest Covid-19 positive cases in the region, identified as PH262 and PH263, who are residents of Davao City.

The two new COVID-19 positive patients, including their children, have been moved to an isolation facility at the Southern Philippines Medical Center here from “strict home quarantine” for nearly two weeks.

Tabada admitted that not all individuals with whom the Covid-19 positive patients interacted have been reached by the agency.

But she appealed to them to immediately report to the persons under investigation (PUIs) centers established in their communities if they manifest signs and symptoms of Covid-19 such as cough, colds, fever, and diarrhea.

Yumang said the DOH-Davao recorded 21 PUIs at the SPMC and 31 at the DRMC. (mindanews)