MANILA, Philippines – A one-year-old girl from Oriental Mindoro tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and considered to be the youngest patient in the Philippines so far.
In a statement on Facebook, Governor Humerlito "Bonz" Dolor said that the child aged 1 year and nine months, is from Barangay Ilaya in Calapan City.
Dolor said that the swabs taken from the baby were among the eight samples tested and processed by the Department of Health. Seven others mostly senior citizens with age ranging from 55 to 84 tested negative for the novel coronavirus.
The patient was in Alabang, Muntinlupa in Metro Manila from March 5 to 12, 2020.
The governor also requested confirmatory test on the baby's sample, which the DOH agreed.
"Ang bata ay may history of travel to Alabang mula March 5-March 12. Dahil siya ay napakabata pa at upang siguraduhin pang lalo humiling ako sa DOH na muling ipasuri (confirmatory test) ang kanyang specimen at ito naman ay kagyat na pinagbigyan. Isasailalim na rin sa testing ang kanyang mga guardians," Dolor said.
He said that contract tracing is now being done by the the provincial and city health office.
"Ginagawa na po namin katuwang ang PHO at City Health Office ang contact tracing at ang lahat ng kinakailangang protocols upang mahanap ang mga nakasalamuha niya habang naka-confine siya at bago pa dinala sa ospital."
Oriental Mindo, a province 140 kilometres southwest of Manila, is part of the 30-day enhanced community quarantine declared by President Rodrigo Duterte to combat the spread of coronavirus.
As of Thursday, the Philippines had 707 confirmed cases of coronavirus, with 45 deaths and 28 recoveries.
— The Summit Express
In a statement on Facebook, Governor Humerlito "Bonz" Dolor said that the child aged 1 year and nine months, is from Barangay Ilaya in Calapan City.
Dolor said that the swabs taken from the baby were among the eight samples tested and processed by the Department of Health. Seven others mostly senior citizens with age ranging from 55 to 84 tested negative for the novel coronavirus.
The patient was in Alabang, Muntinlupa in Metro Manila from March 5 to 12, 2020.
The governor also requested confirmatory test on the baby's sample, which the DOH agreed.
"Ang bata ay may history of travel to Alabang mula March 5-March 12. Dahil siya ay napakabata pa at upang siguraduhin pang lalo humiling ako sa DOH na muling ipasuri (confirmatory test) ang kanyang specimen at ito naman ay kagyat na pinagbigyan. Isasailalim na rin sa testing ang kanyang mga guardians," Dolor said.
He said that contract tracing is now being done by the the provincial and city health office.
"Ginagawa na po namin katuwang ang PHO at City Health Office ang contact tracing at ang lahat ng kinakailangang protocols upang mahanap ang mga nakasalamuha niya habang naka-confine siya at bago pa dinala sa ospital."
Oriental Mindo, a province 140 kilometres southwest of Manila, is part of the 30-day enhanced community quarantine declared by President Rodrigo Duterte to combat the spread of coronavirus.
As of Thursday, the Philippines had 707 confirmed cases of coronavirus, with 45 deaths and 28 recoveries.
— The Summit Express
