Davao Occidental Governor Claude Bautista announced Tuesday, May 5, that the province may now have its first coronavirus disease (Covid-19) case.
The governor, a radio interview with 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio, said the patient is a woman from the municipality of Malita and is 65 years old.
The governor said she was admitted to the Southern Philippine Medical Center (SPMC) around April 30 or May 1. However, she died at the dawn of May 5.
Bautista added that the patient already suffered a partial stroke when she was confined to SPMC. She also had pre-existing medical conditions such as high blood and heart conditions.
The COVID-19 test result of the patient was released on Monday evening, May 4, according to Bautista.
The patient, however, has no recent history of travel outside Davao Occidental, the initial contact tracing showed.
The governor immediately ordered contact tracing to the patient’s recent close contact to determine where she acquired the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS–CoV–2).
Bautista also put the barangay where the patient resides under lockdown. He also said the local government would conduct swab and rapid testing in the area.
Davao Occidental reports first coronavirus case
Before confirming its first case of COVID-19, Davao Occidental is the only province in the Davao region which was virus-free. It was also listed in the areas under the general community quarantine because it has low-risk of transmitting the virus.
“Amo untang gi-ingatan, amo untang ginapaningkamutan nga di maapektuhan ang mga katawhan diria sa Davao Occidental, pero wala man ta’y mahimo kay dili man nato gunit ang kahigayunan (We tried to ensure that the virus won’t come here at Davao Occidental. But now we have our confirmed case),” Bautista said.
The Department of Health in Davao Region (DOH-Davao) meanwhile said they received the report about the COVID-19 case in Davao Occidental, but they are still gathering information about the patient.
“She is a 65-year-old female and Covid-19 suspect pa po siya natin, and we are waiting for more information about the patient, about the test na ginawa po sa kanya,” DOH-Davao assistant regional director Dr. Lenny Joy Rivera said in a virtual presser on Tuesday.
Bautista said he is deciding on whether to put back the province under ECQ again because of the reported COVID-19 case.