Caraga is back from COVID free

SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur — Caraga region is back from being free from the dreaded Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) after the second confirmed case and the lone patient at the Caraga Regional Hospital(CRH) in Surigao City was already tested negative from Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) lab results at the Southern Philippines Medical Center.
    Dr. Jose Llacuna Jr., Department of  Health Caraga regional director, said the 65-year-old COVID patient from Butuan City whose son attended the 6-cock  derby at New Davao Matina Gallery on March 6-12 has clinically recovered after 37 days of confinement.
    Doctors at the CRH noted the patient has no fever and cough for more than a week, been weaned off of oxygen support, has resolved Pneumonia in Chest X-ray, and can perform tasks without respiratory effort.
    “We are pleased by this development. The patient may be discharged upon the assessment and discretion of the attending physician and the rest of the healthcare team,” Llacuna, said.
    The management of confirmed COVID-19 patients is based on DOH Department Memorandum 2020-0108 and 2020-0108-B. Based on the guidelines, discharged patients shall undergo or remain under self-quarantine for fourteen days.
    Meanwhile, six  lab results were also released for the six Suspect Cases coming from Butuan Doctors’ Hospital, M.J. Santos Hospital, and Butuan Medical Center. All tested Negative.
    “We remind everyone to consistently practice physical distancing or better stay at home. Our fight against COVID-19 is far from over. Follow the health advisories. Let us not disrupt what we have started,” Llacuna said.