About 200 plus persons are undergoing the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test in Tagbilaran, says Mayor John Geesnell “Baba” Yap II.
The tests are part of the contact tracing activities related to the Covid positive case who resides in barangay Dao.
The mayor gave an update on the contact tracing efforts being led by the City Health Officer, Dr. Jeia Pondoc. Mayor Baba bared this update today, Monday (June 8, 2020) over “Newsmakers ug Uban Pa” radio program hosted by Ardy Batoy and Gloria Araneta.
He said that the city government wants to know, whether or not, the Covid positive patient contracted the virus here in the city.
Moreover, Yap said the contact tracing involved the direct contacts of the Covid positive patient from Dao District including the family members.
Yap also said that he expects the results of the RT-PCR test to arrive in three to four days.
Currently, those who are identified as direct contacts have been isolated, Yap revealed.
At this time, only a portion of purok 2, barangay Dao is under lockdown.
“But mo-adjust na pod ta sa scale kay nahibaw-an nato wa sila (Covid patient and direct contacts) naka abot adtong dapita (referring to certain portions of purok 2),” Yap said.
He said it is proper to wait for the test results to determine where the Covid patient contracted the virus.
The city is able to test the direct contacts as there are available stocks of RT-PCR test kits and rapid antibody tests, Yap said.
The “direct contacts” already tested negative based on the rapid antibody tests results but the city government is still waiting for the results of the RT-PCR test of these “direct contacts”.
To remember, last Thursday, (June 4, 2020), a resident of purok 2, barangay Dao tested positive of Covid infection.
The patient was admitted at the Allied Care Experts Medical Center 10 days prior to the release of the RT-PCR test.