Coron is back to a zero COVID-19 count, after discharging all of its three patients following a 21-day quarantine and declaring them as recovered.
Dr. Allan Guintapan, municipal health chief, told Palawan News in an interview Monday morning that they have discharged all three — a 38-year-old female, a 19-year-old male, and an 8-month-old child, after 21 days of treatment in isolation.
“Yon pong ating tatlong nag-positibo way back June 13 ay napauwi na kahapon (July 5) sa kani-kanilang barangay. Ito yong 38-years-old female, 19-years-old male, at saka yong 8-months-old baby na nahatid na sa kani-kanilang barangay kahapon,” he said.
The female patient arrived on June 13 aboard a 2GO Shipping Lines passenger vessel, the male recovered patient and the baby arrived on June 14 via M/V June Aster from Manila.
Dr. Guintapan said the child’s parents were Immunoglobulin G (IgG) reactive on rapid diagnostic testing (RDT) when they traveled back to Coron.
“Ang nanay at tatay niya noong dumating dito ay IgG positive — ibig sabihin may exposure na sila sa Manila at nagkaroon na sila ng anti-bodies, gumaling na sila. Yong bata yong nag-IgM so na-swab and it turned out na ang bata ang mayroong virus. Negative yong magulang,” he said.
He said the baby was isolated along with the parents for breastfeeding, which was helpful in the treatment.
Dr. Guintapan added that breast milk is the best source of nutrition for most infants, and it provides protection against many illnesses.
“Ang virus naman kasi self-limiting, kapag maganda yong ating immune system at yong resistensya kayang-kaya natin talunin ang virus. Ang isa pang maganda doon ang bata is breastfed andoon din yong mga anti-bodies sa katawan na nanggaling sa nanay and then binigyan din namin sila ng vitamins. Ang virus kapag wala ka naman sintomas supportive treatment lang talaga tayo,” he explained.
Dr. Guintapan said the other swabs they sent to the RT-PCR GeneXpert laboratory for confirmatory tests at the Ospital ng Palawan (ONP) have all returned COVID-19 negative.
He said they are just waiting for four more confirmatory results.
“Lahat ng nai-submit natin nailabas na po at negative naman. Nag-submit lang kami kahapon (July 5) — yong kasama pa rin sa mga health personnel, at saka yong sa contacts na IgM reactive — direkta sila ng swab tests, lahat naman sila naka-quarantine. Mga 4 pa sila,” he said.
The Palawan province now has a total of 46 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 10 recoveries, one casualty, and 35 active cases, as of 3 p.m., Sunday (July 5).
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