BY JUDY PARTLOW
The number of confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases in Negros Oriental continues to climb with 16 new ones reported in the last two days.
Assistant Provincial Health officer, Dr. Liland Estacion, said there were three cases yesterday, all locally-stranded individuals, from Tayasan town. Two of them, both males, arrived in Negros Oriental from Pangasinan and came in contact with Negor-CoV-63, who was the first to be tested positive from that group, while the other one is a female who arrived in the province from Consolacion, Cebu.
On Wednesday, Estacion announced 13 additional Covid-19 cases, all LSIs, from Amlan, Bayawan City, Dauin, Bindoy, Mabinay, Canlaon City, Tayasan, and Sibulan.
With the latest reported infections, the total Covid-19 tally of Negros Oriental since March is now 81 with three deaths, 29 active confirmed cases, and 49 recoveries.
Provincial Health Office records also showed that the 23 new recoveries out of the total include 18 soldiers belonging to the 302nd Army Brigade – who were deployed to Cebu in March for Covid 19-related assignments – two LSIs from Amlan, and one each from Jimalalud, Bais City, and Sta. Catalina.
Meanwhile, the engineer of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) who recently arrived in Negros Oriental for his new assignment has tested negative for coronavirus, Estacion said.
The congressman who came in contact with the district engineer also tested negative, she added.
The engineer, tagged as an Authorized Person Outside of Residence, came in contact with a number of people, and paid a courtesy call on the solon, prompting health authorities to have them quarantined and throat-swabbed, Estacion said.*