SULTAN KUDARAT (MindaNews / 27 June) — Two returning Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and a locally stranded individual (LSI) with a recent travel from Manila tested positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Tacurong City, two months after its first case recovered.
The city now has a total of four cases as of June 26, two months after PH3269 was reported on April 6 as its first. The Department of Health’s Center for Health Development in Region 12 (Soccksargen) announced on April 24 that PH3269, who was then also recorded as the second case in the province and the ninth case in the region, had recovered.
On Friday, the CHD in Region 12 reported a total of 56 cases in the region as four more cases were reported– three from the province of Sultan Kudarat and one from South Cotabato.
The health office said the new cases are female with ages ranging from 37 to 44.
The local government of Tacurong said that of the city’s three positives, one is a 43-year-old female LSI who arrived in the province last June 18. She was tagged as the 53rd case in Region 12.
The two other patients, identified as the 54th and 55th cases in region, are returning OFWs, with ages 37 and 38, respectively. They arrived in the province last June 15.
Dr. Marlow Anthony Buenacosa, head of the City Epidemiology Surveillance Unit (CESU) said all of the three patients are in a stable condition and have been placed under isolation since their arrival. He said health protocols “were strictly observed” in handling the patients.
The local government has urged the public to follow the existing health measures provided under the Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) guidelines.
Tacurong City Mayor Angelo Montilla reminded the public not to be complacent and urged them to comply with the existing protocols.
“[P]adayon gid ako nga nagaapila sang inyo kooperasyon sa mga patakaran nga ginapatuman sang aton gobyerno” (I continue to appeal for your cooperation to follow the guidelines set by our government), the mayor said.
Currently, the province of Sultan Kudarat has a total of nine confirmed COVID-19 cases, including Tacurong City’s four. The province reported two recoveries and one death.
The DOH regional office also recorded the fourth case in Sarangani province, a 44-year-old female who arrived in the province on June 15. The agency tagged her as the 56th case in the region.
Dr. Junie Basmillo, Maitum Rural Health Unit officer, on her Facebook post on Friday evening said the patient is an LSI who traveled from Tondo in Manila.
“Contact tracing is ongoing and everybody is advised to take precautionary measures,” Basmillo said.
The patient is the second recorded case in Maitum.
Region 12 comprises the provinces of South Cotabato, Sarangangi, North Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong and Kidapawan. Cotabato City voted for inclusion in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in January last year but its health office is still under Region 12. (Warren Elijah E. Valdez / MindaNews)