An Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) who was among the group that arrived in Puerto Princesa City via a mercy flight on May 28 was found out positive for antibodies, an indication of possible coronavirus infection.
Provincial Health Office (PHO) chief Dr. Mary Ann Navarro, in an online press briefing Thursday, explained that the rapid test on the patient showed a presence of antibodies that had may have fought off a previous infection.
The patient has been swabbed for confirmatory testing as part of the standard protocol.
“May immunoglobulin G (IgG) na siya. Dati na siyang na-expose at nalabanan na niya. Hindi siya makaka-infect kasi may antibody na siya,” Navarro said.
Town mayor Abraham Ibba on Thursday told Palawan News that the patient remains under quarantine.
“Ang ginawa natin dito, lahat ng kina-quarantine natin dito, tini-test natin every seven days. So far siya ang nag-RDT reactive,” Ibba said.
“Walang dapat ikabahala ang mga tao kasi naka-isolate siya. Wag mag-panic kasi naka isolate naman siya, sundin lang ang health protocols,” Ibba added.
Navarro said the patient was swabbed upon her arrival on May 28, but the result is still pending.
“May 28 dumating. Pagdating nila, na-swab din siya agad,” Navarro said.
The lone Puerto Princesa active COVID-19 case was swabbed on June 2. The result of the confirmatory test, which was processed in Ospital Ng Palawan (ONP), was reported on June 3.
Navarro did not disclose where Bataraza’s swab samples were sent for processing.
(With reports from Romar Miranda, Aira Genessa Magdayao, Celeste Anna Formoso, and Ruth Rodriguez)
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