Portions of another village here were placed under localized lockdown over the weekend after two more residents with no travel history have tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
City Mayor Ronnel Rivera said Monday they imposed street and block lockdowns in three critical areas in Barangay Fatima to facilitate the conduct of extensive contact-tracing activities.
An advisory said the lockdown covered Blocks 25 and 30 of Purok 18, and Block 8 of Purok 2, Barangay Fatima.
Puroks 2 to 18 of the same village were placed under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).
Rivera said the contract tracing, being done with the help of barangay officials and volunteers, began on Saturday night for the reported Covid-19 infections and other suspect cases.
He was referring to the 70-year-old and 27-year-old female residents of Barangay Fatima who came out positive for the disease on Friday and Saturday through reverse transcription -polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing.
A report released by the local government said the first patient reportedly has just stayed at home since and observed government quarantine protocols but transferred residence within Barangay Fatima on July 29 due to undisclosed safety concerns.
She underwent consultation the following day at the rural health unit in Fatima due to shortness of breath and wheezing and was treated for bronchial asthma.
The patient was recommended for X-ray a week later due to her cough.
She was fetched by her son, who had spent time at the Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City to attend to his sick child, and brought to Digos City, Davao del Sur on August 10.
She was brought to a hospital in Sta. Cruz town, Davao del Sur on August 19 due to difficulty of breathing and was subjected to testing for Covid-19, which turned out positive two days later.
“Six direct and 17 (in)direct contacts from the area were already traced and being monitored by local health workers,” it said.
The report said the second patient manifested symptoms of Covid-19 after visiting the village’s rural health unit for vaccination last August 14.
Two days later, it said the patient started experiencing initial symptoms, such as abdominal pains and nausea, and was eventually tagged as a suspected case after being admitted to a private hospital due to shortness of breath.
She underwent swab collection for RT-PCR testing on August 21 and the result came out positive the following day.
At least 14 direct and 19 secondary contacts have been traced and the tracking of the third and fourth contacts was ongoing.
All direct contacts are now under strict quarantine.
Since August 17, seven residents with no travel history have tested positive for Covid-19 here but the local government has not yet declared local transmission.
Portions of Barangays Bula and Apopong were earlier placed under localized lockdown due to Covid-19 cases but have since been lifted in most of the affected areas.
As of Sunday night, the confirmed Covid-19 cases in the city already reached a total of 55, with 34 recoveries. (PNA)
