DOH Caraga confirms today, July 17, 2020, 92 RT-PCR results received from Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), and Northern Mindanao TB Reference Center (NMTBR) sub-national laboratories.
Of the said RT-PCR results received, 75 tested negative while seventeen (17) turned positive for the COVID-19 virus.
The negative RT-PCR results are from the a) Eight (8) Suspect cases from Adela Serra Ty Memorial Medical Center, Butuan Medical Center, Butuan Medical Center Annex, Butuan Doctors’ Hospital, M.J. Santos Hospital and D.O Plaza Memorial Medical Center, b) Eight (8) Probable cases from Nasipit District Hospital, Agusan del Norte Provincial Hospital and Agusan del Sur Quarantine Facility and c) 59 results coming from high-risk individuals who either have turned positive in the Rapid Antibody-based Test or with relevant travel and exposure to COVID-19.
As announced, 17 samples are RT-PCR confirmed positive for COVID-19: Four (4) are follow-up tests of previously confirmed positive cases while 13 are new cases.
Of the 13 new cases, 84.62% (11) are Locally Stranded Individuals while two (2) have no travel history or exposure with COVID-19 nor in close contact with any suspect, probable or confirmed cases and are residents of Butuan City. As to sex distribution 61.54% are males while 38.46% are females. For age group, 30.77% belong to ages 30-40 years old. Cases are distributed in the following areas: Butuan City (5), municipalities in Agusan del Norte- Nasipit (1), Santiago (2), Tubay (1), municipalities of Agusan del Sur-Esperanza (1), Talacogon (1), Trento (1), and Madrid, Surigao del Sur (1).
“With the additional two cases found in Butuan City that has no relevant travel history or exposure to COVID-19, we can say there is still ongoing local transmission. With this knowledge, let us strengthen our measures to prevent further rapid transmission. We direct everyone to stay at home and only go out when necessary. When going out from homes, exercise precautionary measures like wearing of mask, practice physical distancing, proper handwashing and cough etiquette. We also strongly appeal to all parents and adults to keep their children at home and avoid bringing them to areas with high risk of exposure to virus transmission like areas that are in closed setting, crowded areas like malls and restaurants; and care facilities like clinics and hospitals. Let us consistently and correctly implement these health protocols.” Regional Director Jose R. Llacuna, Jr. said
Twelve (12) are asymptomatic and are presently placed and isolated at designated quarantine facilities region-wide for monitoring and management while one (1) is symptomatic and currently admitted at Southern Philippines Medical Center.
“Let us continue to believe that we are capable of sustaining our efforts on health for we truly value the health of individuals. Let us support our frontline workers especially the health workers by doing our own share by following the minimum health standards,” the health chief concluded.
To date, Caraga region now has a total of 215 confirmed positive COVID-19 cases.
