Palawan’s COVID-19 cases rose again with 28 recorded this week (March 14-21) and only one recovery.
As of Sunday (March 21), the province already has a total of 37 cases – 20 in Puerto Princesa City and 17 from the municipalities.
The city is experiencing a new spate of local transmission cases. On Wednesday (March 17), eight close contacts of a 51-year-old male authorized person outside residence (APOR) who was announced to be positive for COVID-19 on Sunday (March 14), were all announced to be positive for COVID-19. On following day (March 18), the City Information Office (CIO) announced four new local transmission cases but did not specify if these were close contacts of the previous patients.
Meanwhile, two imported cases (the 51-year-old APOR included) were recorded on Sunday (March 14), plus an additional three imported cases were recorded on Wednesday (March 17) for Puerto Princesa City.
Former Palawan governor and current Games and Amusement Board (GAB) chairman Abraham “Baham” Mitra also tested positive for COVID-19, according to his brother Jorge Mitra in a Facebook post. However, his patient classification was not disclosed or what date he tested positive.
The only recovery reported this week, on Wednesday (March 17), is from the city.
Aborlan recorded its first cases of local transmission on Wednesday, starting with male siblings aged 23 and 12. On the next day, a 70-year-old Japanese man and his 31-year-old Filipino wife also tested positive for COVID-19. On Saturday, their six-year-old daughter and 33-year-old female helper also tested positive. The family home is now under surveillance by Aborlan officials.
Also, on Saturday in Aborlan, a 23-year-old male resident, who was identified as a close contact of the male siblings, also tested positive. On the same day, a 51-year-old female from Barangay Isaub, who was identified to be a close contact of the 51-year-old APOR from Puerto Princesa, also tested positive.
After having no new cases since November 2020, El Nido recorded one new case on Monday, who was classified as an APOR who arrived in the town on March 4 from Metro Manila. The patient is also symptomatic.
Bataraza recorded one new imported case on Saturday (March 20).
Towns that remain without recorded COVID-19 cases are Linapacan and the Kalayaan group of islands.
