Marinduque not COVID-19 free
He referred to some posts in social media that quoted his office as source and appealed to verify with his office such claims before posting.
Caballes stressed that 4 confirmed COVID-19 positive patients who were considered recovered based on results of second testing received from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), showing them to have tested negative of the coronavirus does not mean the province is already "COVID-free".
"From April 3-8 the number of PUI was the same which could be a good indication of flattening the curve or most probably there were no new cases. But on April 9 the number of persons under investigation (PUI) increased by 6", he said. "This involves six of our health workers with close contacts with positive patients".
"Following DOH protocols we conducted a swab (for COVID testing), for these health workers and there are no results yet from RITM", he added.
"We are also going to conduct a massive, targeted testing starting on Monday (April 13), of PUI's particularly health workers with close contacts with positive patients and those who have developed symptoms", he said.
"Up to now, as President Duterte has announced and the Governor has declared, we have to continue to strictly implement the enhanced community quarantine up to April 30", he said.
4 confirmed COVID-19 cases recover
Yesterday, April 11, 2020 based on an official statement from the Marinduque Provincial Health
Office (PHO) Surveillance Unit, the results of 3 pending cases of confirmed COVID-19 patients have been received from the Research Institute for
Tropical Medicine (RITM),
The said cases were from the municipalities of Torrijos and
Mogpog tested negative this time after
the mandatory second testing.
This brings to 4 the number of recovered patients including
one from Torrijos earlier declared recovered by the PHO.
It will be recalled that PHO Marinduque first recorded on February 28, 2020 persons under monitoring (PUIs) and persons under investigation (PUIs). At that time only 1 from St. Cruz and 1 from Torrijos were listed as PUI, while 10 others were listed as PUM.
These were residents who returned within the last 14
days prior from places with officially issued travel restrictions (like China, Macau,
Taiwan, Hongkong and South Korea), but showed no symptoms of COVID-19.
They were all put on home quarantine and were monitored
for symptoms by health personnel from the provincial and district hospitals.
On March 12 President Rodrigo Duterte announced that he
would place Metro Manila on lockdown and largely suspend government work
for a month in an effort to stop the coronavirus from spreading. Domestic
travel restrictions to and from Metro Manila from March 15 to April 14 was imposed.
However, hours before the announcement, Duterte’s order
leaked on social media which triggered panic buying in the Metro and sent people from provinces rushing to bus stations as they anticipated restriction in movement.
After his
speech, the Department of Health announced that the death toll in Metro Manila
is five out of 52 confirmed cases.
On March 13 Governor Presbitero Velasco convened the Marinduque
Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) he earlier created for urgent measures to be
implemented to counter the possible coronavirus entry to the island-province.
The IATF recommended suspension of classes in all levels in the province and cancellation of all
municipal and provincial-organized Holy Week activities.
Points of entry were already being manned by
provincial health officers and personnel for thermal screening of passengers
as well as for disinfection of vehicles entering the province for ASF control. This followed an order earlier issued by Gov. Velasco.
The PHO and the Provincial Disaster Risk
Reduction and Management Office (PDRRM), however raised the urgent need for cooperation
of all barangays and health workers for identification of Marinduque residents who came in an influx prior to the Metro lockdown.
Some 5,000 to 6,000 residents according to reports arrived between March 13-15 and had to undergo self-quarantine for the WHO-established14-day period as recommended by the Task Force.
By March 22 the number of PUM swelled to
8,547, PUI to 87 even as the province still remained COVID-free.
Daily monitoring by health authorities eventually reduced the number to 744 PUM and 56 PUI by March 29 but 3 positive cases of coronavirus were also declared with 1 new case on April 1.
Daily monitoring by health authorities eventually reduced the number to 744 PUM and 56 PUI by March 29 but 3 positive cases of coronavirus were also declared with 1 new case on April 1.
As of yesterday, April 11 the number of PUM has gone down to 85 and
PUI down to 59. The good news that the remaining confirmed COVID-positive cases tested negative on second testing was received by PHO. The concerned patients were then considered ‘recovered’ by the provincial health officer.
At present there are still PUI awaiting COVID-19 test results
from RITM, with other PUI and PUM still under home quarantine.
The entire province is still in strict compliance with the
enhanced community quarantine guidelines to contain the spread of the
coronavirus after President Duterte extended the lockdown of
Luzon until April 30.
Philippines COVID-19 cases as of April 11, 4:00 pm per the
Department of Health update is as follows: Confirmed cases: 4,428
(233 new); Recoveries: 157 (17 new); Deaths: 247 (26 new).
