DOH-8 confirms 4 new COVID-19 cases in Tarangnan, Samar
The Department of Health in Eastern Visayas (DOH-8) on Friday afternooon confirmed four (4) new COVID-19 cases in the region, all from Tarangnan, Samar.
The four samples that turned positive of COVID-19 were part of the results of the 156 sample specimens received by DOH-8 from the Eastern Visayas Regional Testing Center (EVTRC) in Tacloban City.
Patients EV-21 to EV-24 are the close contacts of the confirmed COVID-19 cases in the area — Patient EV 21 is a 42-year-old male; Patient EV-22 is a 63-year-old male; Patient EV-23 is an 18-year-old female; and Patient EV-24 is a 21-year-old female.
Patients EV-21, EV-23, and EV-24 will be brought to the identified local Community Isolation Unit for medical assessment and isolation while Patient EV-22 will be referred to the Samar Provincial Hospital considering that he belong to the vulnerable group.
Community transmission has been continuing in Tarangnan, Samar for a month already and the cases continue to rise as mass testing was conducted. A non-pharmaceutical intervention such as setting up of community isolation unit for the suspects, observing social distancing and staying at home must strongly be enforced to interrupt the ongoing transmission and reduce the spread of infection.
“We will continue the intensive contact tracing and massive mass testing in Tarangnan, Samar since community transmission is still there in the area. We will prioritize assisting the two barangays with reported cases and those who are high risk and belong to the vulnerable group close contacts. We would like also to appeal in the community, to strictly follow the protocols given by the local government to prevent COVID-19 to further infect another, otherwise, the whole Tarangnan will be in much worse sitation,” DOH-8 Regional Director Minerva Molon said.
As of May 15, a total of 24 confirmed cases were reported in the region, of which, 19 cases are from Tarangnan, Samar. (ldl/DOH-8)
