ILOILO – After more than a week of lockdown, the municipal hall of Igbaras would resume normal operations on June 15, according to Mayor Jaime Esmeralda.
The 55-year-old male Sangguniang Bayan (SB) member who tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on June 1 did not have the virus anymore, he said.
The repeat reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test of Patient No. 114 showed him free from SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
The result was released late Thursday night, June 11, by the Western Visayas Medical Center laboratory in Mandurriao, Iloilo City, Esmeralda told Panay News.
He did not discount the possibility that the SB member’s first test was a “false positive.” Except for a trip to Iloilo City on May 1, Patient No. 114 did not have a history of travel to areas with confirmed COVID-19 cases, Esmeralda pointed out.
Esmeralda, a physician, suspended work at the Igbaras municipal hall beginning June 2 as a precautionary measure against the spread of COVID-19. He and the rest of the officials and employees of the municipal government – 150 in total – deemed themselves “persons under monitoring” and agreed to observe home quarantine until the result of the SB member’s repeat test had been released. They also underwent COVID testing.
“Damo kami ginalantaw. One, indeed when specimens were extracted from the SB member for his first testing, positive gid man sia pero patay na ang virus kag remnants na lang didto…Indi man ma-discount ang possibility nga may human error. Puwede na-inter-change ang specimens, puede nga may clerical error,” said Esmeralda.
For everybody’s piece of mind, the mayor said, a third RT-PCR test on the SB member may be conducted.
Esmeralda also said 49 of the 150 Igbaras local government unit (LGU) officials and employees tested may now heave a sigh of relief. Results of their tests showed them negative for COVID-19.
The results of the rest were yet to be released.
Esmeralda also said some close contacts of the SB member also tested negative for the disease.
“Mabalik kami normal operation next week. Natuon man ina nga ma-end na ang 14-day quarantine period. Makagwa na kami kag functional na kami,” said Esmeralda.
He urged the people of Igbaras who have transactions at the municipal hall to continue observing public health safety protocols such as wearing facemask, observing physical distancing and handwashing.
On June 8, Esmeralda ordered the reopening of the town hall of Igbaras and the resumption of operation of the municipal government even if for limited services only.
“We just could not afford nga ma-paralyze totally ang offices. Ang mga tawo may immediate or emergency transactions,” he said.
COVID-19 is the infectious disease caused by the most recently discovered coronavirus. This new virus and disease were unknown before the outbreak began in Wuhan, China in December 2019.
To date, there is no vaccine and no specific antiviral medicine to prevent or treat COVID-2019. However, possible vaccines and some specific drug treatments are under investigation. They are being tested through clinical trials. The World Health Organization (WHO) is coordinating efforts to develop vaccines and medicines to prevent and treat the disease.
The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, tiredness, and dry cough.
Some patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhea. These symptoms are usually mild and begin gradually. Some people become infected but don’t develop any symptoms and don’t feel unwell.
Most people (about 80 percent) recover from the disease without needing special treatment, according to the World Health Organization.
Older people, and those with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes, are more likely to develop serious illness, it warned.
People can catch COVID-19 from others who have the virus. The disease can spread through small droplets from the nose or mouth which are spread when a person with COVID-19 coughs or exhales.
These droplets also land on objects and surfaces around the person. Other people then catch COVID-19 by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth./PN
