Another Covid-19 positive dies in Maguindanao

COTABATO CITY – Another novel coronavirus disease (Covid-1) positive patients has died in Maguindanao, raising the death toll to two, health officials today said.

According to Maguindanao health chief Dr. Elizabeth Samama, a 64-year-old female from Barangay Making, Parang, Maguindanao was the second Maguindanaon to die of COVID-19.

Samama said the woman was admitted last August 5 at Cotabato Regional and Medical Center (CRMC) for abdominal pain.

“She was assessed for surgery due to complications of Peptic Ulcer Disease. Swabbing for RT-PCR was done prior to operation and it revealed positive for Covid-19,” Dr. Samama said.

Dr. Samama said the female patient from Parang town subsequently expired due to complications of severe pneumonia after her surgery.

She was a laundrywoman working for the Bangsamoro Region Police Training Center where 34 police officials and trainees have tested positive of COVID-19.

“She served as laundrywoman there prior to the camp lockdown,” Samama said.

The Maguindanao Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPOH) imposed a “lockdown” on the training center after a police colonel and 33 others were tested positive of the virus after undergoing police uniform measurements conducted by an Iligan City-based tailor who conducted the measurements inside the camp.

The tailor tested positive of the virus upon his return to Iligan City, infecting his wife, children and tailoring shop workers.

After the death of the second patient, immediate contact tracing was done by Parang LGU and Rural Health Unit to people who she mingled with in her family, neighbors and friends for isolation at the Parang Ligtas Covid Center.

The first COVID-19 related death in Maguindanao was the case of a 54-year-old woman from Barangay Rebuken, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao who expired on Aug. 23. Protocol on safe management of deceased bodies and burial of confirmed Covid-19 patient were properly observed in both cases, Dr. Samama stressed.

“Because we already have COVID-19 related death cases it is but timely to recalibrate,” she added.

Samama said IPHO started Thursday the orientation on management of cadavers of COVID-19 confirmed cases and participated by members of provincial and municipal disaster risk reduction and management offices from across Maguindanao.

Across the Bangsamoro Region, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 patients hit 614 after 12 new cases were reported by the region’s Ministry of Health.

Of the 12 new cases, nine were from Marawi City, and one each from the towns Saguiaran, Baindong and Marantao, all in Lanao Sur. Of the 614 positive cases, 455 have defeated the disease and recovered. To date, the region as 16 fatalities.

Lanao del Sur and Marawi City remained to have the most number of cases at 270 followed by Basilan/Lamitan with 108, Maguinanao (95), Sulu (17), Tawi-Tawi (4).

Included in the list were 120 locally stranded individuals in Basulta area.