The two new patients who tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Iloilo had been exposed to infected persons.

In a bulletin issued by the Department of Health (DOH-6) on Monday, March 30, the additional COVID-19 patients are a 44-year-old male from Jaro district in Iloilo City and a 51-year-old female from Guimbal town in Iloilo province.

The male patient had a travel history to Manila and had a close contact with Iloilo City’s first COVID-19 patient (61-year-old female from Mandurriao district).

On the other hand, the latest female patient had no travel history but had an exposure to Iloilo province’s first COVID-19 patient (65-year-old male from Guimbal).

The two patients are “improving” and in “stable condition,” according to the DOH-6.

Meanwhile, the health department remains puzzled as to how a 59-year-old woman from Barotac Nuevo got infected. She had no travel history and exposure to known COVID-19 patients.

There are currently five confirmed cases of COVID-19 (including one death) in the province and three (including one death) in the city.

The DOH-6 recorded 18 positive cases in the whole Western Visayas as of March 30. Of the total number, one recovered from the disease.

The first recovery is also the region’s first COVID-19 patient (56-year-old male from Bacolod City).IMT

Photo by Arnold Almacen