Individuals subjected to confirmatory reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test are advised to have themselves quarantined while waiting for the result.

Dr. Renilyn Reyes, head of the public health programs development cluster of the Department of Health Western Visayas Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD6), said on Thursday the regional health office “highly recommends” the quarantine because persons subjected to swab test or confirmatory testing are considered “high risk”.

“Once subjected to confirmatory RTPCR for Covid-19 (coronavirus disease), it is recommended by the regional health office to undergo quarantine, decrease mobility because we have no idea of the pending result of the RT-PCR,” she said.

She added that the implication is that if they will not undergo quarantine and the result is positive, then the contact tracing will further “branch out”.

Good if the result is negative, Reyes said.

The health office made the recommendation following the 13 confirmed cases in Alimodian, Iloilo.

Regional epidemiologist Jessie Glen Alonsabe said that as of Wednesday, with the help of the Iloilo Provincial Health Office (IPHO), a total of 86 swabs were extracted from contacts of the confirmed cases in Alimodian.

The municipality was also placed under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) starting midnight of June 30 to restrict the movement of the locals.

He added that the cases in Alimodian are considered as local transmission because the source of the infection was identified.

In an interview over a local radio station on Thursday, Alimodian Mayor Geefre Alonsabe said that of the 13 cases, four were health workers — a medical technologist, a nurse, and two midwives; four locally stranded individuals (LSIs); and the rest are members of the family of the positive health worker.

The health worker, who was among those in-charge of the repatriated overseas Filipino workers and LSIs, happened to drop-by their house pending the result of the swab test.

Mayor Alonsabe said a localized lockdown in an area where there are positive cases was implemented and each of the 49 affected households was provided with 10 kilos of rice, assorted canned goods, and 10 packs of noodles.

The town will be subjected to another assessment on July 3 to determine the effect of the ECQ on the status of Covid-19 cases. (PNA)