20 new Covid-19 cases reported in E. Visayas

TACLOBAN CITY – Eastern Visayas has recorded 20 new coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases, bringing the region’s total to 695, the Department of Health (DOH) reported Tuesday night.

In a press statement, DOH 8 (Eastern Visayas) director Minerva Molon said these are part of the 132 swab results from the state-run regional Covid-19 testing laboratory here, of which 21 turned positive, including the retest of a coronavirus patient from Samar.

Of the new cases, 12 are from Samar – six in Jiabong town, three in Motiong, and one each in Paranas, Calbiga, and Catbalogan City.

Four more residents of Southern Leyte have been infected, two in Liloan town and one each in Pintuyan and San Francisco, while Kananga town in Leyte also reported four new cases.

They will be tagged as the region’s Patient Nos. 676 to 695, Molon said.

“The patients are currently confined in the isolation facilities of their respective local governments but would be transferred to a higher health care facility if further management is needed. We are also getting more information and reports about these new cases from these areas, if who among them are returnees or close contacts of infected persons,” she added.

Meanwhile, the privately-managed Covid-19 testing laboratory at the Divine Word Hospital released a total of 70 swab results and all were negative.

The DOH attributed the region’s surge in infections since the start of June to the testing of returning residents, including overseas Filipino workers and locally stranded individuals mostly from Metro Manila and Cebu.

Despite the significant increase, Molon said the region maintained a high recovery rate at 92.52 percent or 643 of the confirmed infections.

“More than 90 percent of our patients are asymptomatic, three are severe cases and these are the three deaths in Leyte, Biliran, and Samar. The three mortalities have underlying medical conditions, such as diabetes and cardiac diseases, making them vulnerable to Covid-19,” she added.

Molon also noted that community transmission has so far been prevented as local government units immediately isolate the returnees upon their arrival.

“Let us be vigilant and continue to follow minimum health standards, such as wearing a face mask, physical distancing, proper hygiene, cough etiquette, among others. Following them is still the most effective defense against the virus,” Molon said.

To date, the region has 49 active cases housed in isolation and quarantine facilities, the DOH said. (PNA) 

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