Six COVID-19 patients — three in Coron and three in Sofronio Española — have recovered from the pandemic disease after completing their 14-day quarantine periods without symptoms.
Provincial Health Office (PHO) chief Dr. Mary Ann Navarro also told Palawan News in an interview Friday morning that the three patients in Busuanga have also recovered, but the municipal health office has opted to extend their quarantine to 21 days.
“Recovered na yong sa Coron, tapos sa Sofronio Española… kahapon pumunta doon sa office si Dr. Rhodora (Tingson), ang sabi niya declared recovered na daw niya yong tatlo,” she said.
Asked about the three COVID-19 patients in Coron, — a 38-year-old female who arrived on June 13 aboard 2GO Shipping Lines, and a 19-year-old male and an 8-month-old baby who arrived on June 14 through June Aster — Dr. Navarro said they have recovered.
Those in Busuanga, she added, are just waiting to complete their extended 21-day quarantine.
“Oo, recovered na yon. Asymptomatic for 14 days. Tapos yong sa Busuanga, nag-extend lang. Asymptomatic din pero in-extend nila to 21 days. Pati yong Coron in-extend din so hanggang July 5. Pero recovered na, lalagpas lang ng 14 days at saka asymptomatic sila ever since — yong Busuanga at saka Coron,” Dr. Navarro said.
Dr. Navarro said that under the protocol of the Department of Health (DOH), confirmed COVID-19 patients who do not show signs and symptoms of infection anymore can already be declared by a licensed doctor as “recovered” and no longer need to be re-tested.
In Sofronio Española, Dr. Tingson said the confirmed COVID-19 patients who arrived on June 5 aboard a 2GO passenger vessel (all locally stranded male returnees) have already been discharged.
“Yong June 5 admissions ang na-discharge,” Dr. Tingson said.
Coron municipal health officer Dr. Allan Guintapan said their confirmed COVID-19 patients remain under quarantine after holding them to stay in their facility for another week more.
He said he has not discharged any of them. Rapid testing will have to be managed after they have completed their additional quarantine days.
“Wala pa po, ipapa-rapid test pa namin. 21 days kami para sa positive patients, hindi 14 days. Kapag positive sa swab test, ginagawa namin na 21 days ang kanilang isolation sa facility para makasigurado tayo kasi maraming lumalabas ngayon na after 14 days, positive pa rin,” he said.
“Para makasigurado ang komunidad, mahirap na mabulaga tayo, isakto na namin na 21 days para may assurance,” Dr. Guintapan added.
As of Thursday (12 p.m., July 2, 2020), the city and province already have 39 confirmed COVID-19 cases with nine recoveries, one casualty, and 30 active cases.
Of the active cases, 13 are in Puerto Princesa, three are in Coron waiting to be discharged, three are in Sofronio Española, three are in Busuanga, one in Taytay, two in Cuyo, and six are in Bataraza.
(With reports from Ruil Alabi ang Ruth Rodriguez)
