BAGUIO CITY May 12 – The number of confirmed Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the city rose to 31 after a 41-year old Manila-based policeman residing in Barangay Dontogan emerged as the city’s latest case while the 26-year old Benguet Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) from the United States who tested positive for the deadly virus did not set foot in Ambiong, La Trinidad.
See story on Benguet’s 10th positive case here: OFW is latest Benguet COVID-19 case
Mayor Benjie Magalong said Major Rafael Baldado Roxas, Deputy Chief of the Fingerprint Division National Headquarters of the Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory agreed to be identified as the city’s latest confirmed COVID-19 case.
The mayor said Roxas’ case cannot be considered as a local transmission as he apparently contracted the virus in Manila where he is assigned.
The patient is now confined at a health facility and his family and contacts isolated to prevent the further transmission of the deadly virus in the city.
In nearby La Trinidad, Benguet, Mayor Romeo K. Salda explained that the 26-year old OFW from Barangay Abmbiong arrived from the United States Last May 2, 2020 and allegedly hired a taxi from the airport up to Baguio City.
Upon reaching the established checkpoint, Salda disclosed that he reportedly possessed symptoms of the virus, thus, he was immediately referred to the triage of the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC) where he was immediately subjected to swab test.
He added that the OFW’s positive test results were only released last May 10, 2020 but there is no need for the municipal government to lockdown the aforesaid barangay since the OFW was not able to reach their residence as he was already confined in the hospital.
The patient is now confined in a health facility in the city undergoing close medical supervision and that the search for the Manila-based taxi driver that brought him to the city is now underway for him to be subjected to the prescribed 14-day quarantine and possible swab test.
By Dexter A. See
