ILIGAN CITY —– One of five seafarers who earlier tested positive for antibodies in a rapid antibody test (RAT) has tested positive in a confirmatory reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test.
Misamis Occidental Governor Philip Tan confirmed this on Monday, six days after the seaman, a resident of Jimenez town, was subjected to RAT upon his arrival in the evening of April 28 at the port of Ozamiz City with four others.
“The seaman who earlier tested positive in a rapid antibody test has likewise obtained a positive result from his swab test. But the good thing is that he is okay and shows no symptoms,” Tan said in his social media page Tuesday.
The patient will be subjected to a repeat confirmatory RT-PCR test after 16 days, he added.
The patient is one of the 305 overseas workers repatriated earlier due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
They arrived aboard St. Michael the Archangel of 2Go Shipping with four other seafarers returning home to Lanao del Norte on April 28.
One of two other seamen from the same batch bound for Lanao del Sur also tested positive in a Rat.
Dr. Alinader Minanalang, head of Lanao del Sur Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) said they are still waiting for the result of the RT-PCR test of the seafarer who is quarantined in a facility in Wao town.
Two other seafarers from the same batch bound for Iligan City were not subjected to rapid antibody test.
