Congressman, doctor recover from COVID

MANILA, Philippines — A congressman from Bulacan and a doctor in Baguio City who tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been discharged from hospitals.

“He’s just waiting for result of confirmatory tests,” House secretary Jose Luis Montales said of Bulacan fourth district Rep. Henry Villarica.

Montales said Villarica, who was hospitalized on March 18, was initially diagnosed with pneumonia.

Villarica attended an event hosted by Baliuag Mayor Ferdie Estrella, who was also infected with COVID-19, on March 8.

Villarica’s staff members, who went on self-quarantine, have recovered.

Manuel Kelly, the 12th person infected with COVID-19 in Baguio City, was discharged from the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC) yesterday.

Kelly was among the doctors who attended to an infected patient in Baguio City last month. He went public to  advise those who had interacted with him to undergo self-quarantine.

Joel Junsay, 52, the first health worker in Baguio City  infected with COVID-19, was discharged from the same hospital on Monday.

Four other patients remain confined at the BGHMC, Thea Pamela Cajulao, infectious disease specialist, said.

An infected staff of the Department of Health (DOH)-Cagayan Valley regional office was discharged from the Cagayan Valley Medical Center (CVMC)yesterday.

CVMC head Glenn Matthew Baggao said the staff was exposed to his co-worker in charge of contact tracing of COVID-19 patients in Isabela, who was  discharged from a hospital last week.

Twenty-one of the 27 patients in Cagayan Valley have recovered.

3 PUIs die

In Bacolod City, three persons suspected to be infected with the virus died before their test results came out.

The 66-year-old female and two men, aged 67 and 69, died on April 7, 9 and 10, respectively, according to the Bacolod City health office.

Three other suspected COVID-19 patients who died on March 31 tested negative for the flu virus.

Grace Tan, Bacolod Inter Agency Task Force (IATF) on COVID-19 spokesperson, said five other COVID-19 patients in the city have recovered.

Bulacan recorded its 15th fatality and three more confirmed cases on Monday.

The provincial health office said the  fatality is a 71-year-old resident of Pandi.

A soldier confined at the Zamboanga City Medical Center is the eighth case in Zamboanga City.

More frontliners infected

The local IATF in Nueva Ecija reported that four nurses, a nursing attendant and two medical technologists are among the 10 new COVID-19 patients in the province.

Three doctors in Bataan also tested positive for the flu virus, Gov. Albert Garcia said.

Quezon now has 36 cases, with 11 cases recorded in the past two days. Twenty of the patients are health workers.

Extended lockdown

In Pangasinan, Gov. Amado Espino III issued an executive order extending the extreme enhanced community quarantine in the province. There are 33 cases, including nine deaths, in the province.

Espino said the quarantine is extended until April 21 “or until further declared.”

At the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, Leciel Hotel and Subic gymnasium are being prepared as isolation facilities for COVID-19 patients.

– With Raymund Catindig,  Eva Visperas, Cesar Ramirez, Ric Sapnu, Gilbert Bayoran, Ramon Efren Lazaro, Michelle Zoleta, Bebot Sison, Roel Pareño