8-month-old baby among the 19 new Covid-19 cases in W. Visayas

Among the 19 new listed cases of coronavirus in Western Visayas is an 8- month-old baby.

Photo credit: filipinotimes.net

Department of Health Region 6, Dr. Marie Jocelyn Te said that the baby is the second youngest listed case in the region. The baby is a child of a Covid-19 infected mother.

For the time being, both mother and child stay on the same quarantine facility.

Beside the 8-month-old baby, there are also 13 new listed cases which were stranded individuals. One is a repatriated OFW and the rest are local cases.

Among the 19 new cases, 1 is in a hospital while the rest stays in a quarantine facility.

The confirmed Covid-19 cases in the whole region went up to 611. Recoveries are 244 and listed 11 deaths.

National Task Force (NTF) Against coronavirus disease Chief Implementer Carlito Galvez Jr. wants a nationwide “Hatid Probinsya” operation for locally stranded individuals (LSIs) on July 25 to 26 to decongest temporary holding facilities in Metro Manila.

The “Hatid Probinsya” program was blamed for the spike of COVID-19 cases in some provinces last month.

Meanwhile, Galvez said he will meet with leaders and members of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines to explain to them the new protocols in receiving LSIs.

The new protocols, which are yet to be made public, it is being organize to address possible new infections arising during the transfer.

Galvez admitted there were instances where an LSI who tested negative for COVID-19 using anti-body rapid test kits tested positive undergoing the same procedure in their province.

As such, he urged LGUs to use polymerase chain reaction (PCR) kits in testing arriving LSIs before they are accepted in isolation facilities. But recognizing the lack of PCR test kits in some areas, Galvez said rapid anti-body test kits will still be allowed in processing LSIs.

According to Department of Health (DOH) as of Tuesday, July 14, there are 57,545 Covid-19 cases. 34,483 are active cases, 20,459 recoveries and 1,603 died.