The Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) said the province of Antique remains free from the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) following the negative result of specimens taken from two patients under investigation (PUIs).
IPHO chief, Dr. Ric Noel Naciongayo said the two PUIs were already discharged last week from the Angel Salazar Memorial General Hospital (ASMGH).
The two PUIs were both seamen who arrived in the province for their vacation. However, they sought medical treatment after experiencing flu-like symptoms.
It was learned that the first 29-year-old PUI stayed overnight in a hotel in China before coming home to Hamtic town.
The second PUI, 25, had a layover in Hong Kong before coming home to Antique last Feb. 6.
Their nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs sent to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) turned out negative.
Meanwhile, Naciongayo said they are just doing their work properly in reaction to those people describing the IPHO to be “overacting” in the case management of the Covid-19.
“It is better to be overacting than to be sorry later,” he said.
He added they will continue to have the triage area in front of the ASMGH for health personnel to assess and segregate patients with infectious diseases like Covid-19 before they are brought inside the hospital.PNA
