BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The 52-year-old returning overseas worker, who was infected with the Delta variant of the coronavirus disease 2019, was declared “recovered” by Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Ernell Tumimbang, after his re-swab yielded a negative result.
With this, Tumimbang said other members of his family and close contacts will no longer be swabbed.
The ROF, who is a resident of Talisay City, Negros Occidental, arrived in the province on Aug. 11, after he completed the required quarantine for OFWs at Seda Hotel from July 20 to 30, and at BB Hotel, both in Manila, from July 30 to Aug. 11.
On Aug. 25, the PHO was informed that the ROF was infected with the highly-contagious Delta variant. He was re-swabbed and the negative result came out Friday.
If the ROF, who came from the United Arab Emirates, tested positive in the re-swab, Tumimbang said that members of his family and up to the third generation contacts will also be subjected to swab testing, in line with the protocols of the Department of Health.
Since the result was negative, the ROF could no longer be quarantined because he already recovered, Tumimbang added.
Meanwhile, Negros Occidental will remain under the General Community Quarantine from Sept. 1 to 7, while the GCQ with heightened restrictions is in effect in Bacolod City and Negros Oriental until Sept. 7, Malacañang said over the weekend.
The Provincial Incident Management Team records showed that active Covid cases in Negros Occidental appeared to be slightly increasing again, from its lowest of 587 on Aug. 22, to 738 on Saturday. The infections peaked in previous months, with more than 2,400 cases.*
