For the week of October 19 – 24, Palawan logged only two new COVID-19 cases, with one of the cases described as local transmission.
Puerto Princesa City is down to only seven active cases, while the rest of the province has 57 active cases as of Saturday, 8:00PM, or a total of 64 active cases for the entire province.
Cuyo still holds the highest number of active cases, with 53.
Significantly, more recoveries rather than new cases were reported by health authorities from Monday to Saturday when 31 COVID-19 patients were declared to have recovered from the virus.
Only one case of local transmission was reported this week, involving a 41-year-old male patient who tested positive for the virus Thursday (October 21). According to City Information Officer Richard Ligad, the patient is an employee of independent power provider Delta P., Inc., and a resident of Barangay Tagburos. While initially not identified as a close contact of previous patients who work at the company, it was suspected that he may have contracted the virus in the workplace. Ligad added that the patient had not been staying at his home, but at company premises.
Coron was declared COVID-free after town officials announced Friday (October 23) that five of its remaining active cases could return to their homes. Previously the town with the highest number of active and reported cases, its record was overtaken by Cuyo early in the month.
The town of Roxas, previously COVID-free for a significant period, reported one new case Thursday (October 22), a 50-year-old local who arrived in the town via AirAsia.
Remaining towns without any reported COVID-19 cases are Linapacan, Cagayancillo, Balabac, and the Kalayaan group of islands.
(With reports from Alex Baaco, Jane Tumalac, and Patricia Laririt)
