KALIBO, Aklan – There is no local transmission of the coronavirus disease 2019 in this province, according to the Provincial Health Office in Aklan (PHO-Aklan).
PHO-Aklan Dr. Cornelio Cuachon Jr. said all positive cases of the virus in the towns of Malay, Libacao, Altavas, and in here are linked with travel histories to Manila.
“There are no locally transmitted cases in the province of Aklan. Walang tayong nakita na locally acquired ang coronavirus in Aklan,” Cuachon said on April 2.
‘Local transmission’ is defined as the transfer of the virus that causes the disease in a local geographical area.
The five confirmed Aklanon patients of the COVID-19 are undergoing treatment at the Aklan Training Center, the Aklan Provincial Hospital and at the Roxas Memorial Provincial Hospital in Roxas City, Capiz. The patients are now in stable condition, the PHO-Aklan said.
Surveillance teams in Aklan are intensively focused on contact tracing those persons who had direct or close contacts with the COVID-19-positive patients.
Contact tracing is done to determine the risks inflicted by the COVID-19 to potentially-exposed individuals and to closely monitor their health status for 14 days from their last exposure to a virus-positive patient.
Going back, Cuachon said that almost 90 percent of the close contacts of all the positive patients in this capital town have already been identified in coordination with the Rural Health Unit (RHU) here.
RHU-Malay, meanwhile, reported that 69 percent out of the 143 closes contacts of the confirmed COVID-19 patient were already tracked down.
Cuachon has reminded the Aklanons to always stay home, to observe good personal hygiene, to apply social distancing, and to follow other health protocols and regulations.
He added that if people feel unwell or show similar symptoms like of COVID-19, they may seek consultation in the triage area of the Aklan Provincial Hospital.
To recall, Gov. Florencio Miraflores issued Executive Order No. 20, series of 2020, which placed the entire Aklan under enhanced community quarantine starting March 23.
Like the situations of the other provinces in this region, Aklan also cancelled mass gatherings, closed all schools and other business, suspended public transport, and enforced curfew to residents.(With a report from Akean Forum/PN)
