Public school teacher dies of COVID-19

COTABATO CITY – A 61-year-old public school teacher in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat, who is due to retire next year, has died of novel coronavirus disease, Mayor Maritess Pallasigue said.

“Her remains has been cremated Thursday night,” Mayor Pallasigue said in a phone interview.

The teacher has complained of fever and mild coughs and was rushed by her husband and relatives to a hospital where she was swabbed for Covid laboratory tests and later tested of the virus. She died Thursday morning.

Mayor Pallasigue said the teacher was exposed to her husband, relatives and neighbors prior to her hospitalization, including her attendance to a wedding last Saturday. She also attended a Sunday mass services at the town’s main church before she was rushed to the hospital last Sunday afternoon.

Pallasigue said 65 teachers who have close contact with the teacher and her husband, who is a school principal, are now undergoing quarantine while four have tested positive in the rapid test conducted by the town health office.

She added that the town health office is also awaiting the swab test result of the teacher’s husband.

The teacher has two children, one working as pharmacist of a government hospital and another, a nurse, who works at a private hospital in Isulan.

Mayor Pallasigue said three residential compounds in a purok in Isulan has been placed under lockdown while contact tracing continues.

“The situation is under control, all persons with whom the teacher had in contact with have been traced,” Pallasigue said, adding that contact tracing continues to ensure no local transmission exists.

She also appealed to all who knowingly and unknowingly had close contact with any of the slain teacher’s family and relatives to see the town health office.

o date, three persons have died due to Covid 19 since March 18. One in Tacurong Ctiy and the other in Lambayong, Sultan Kudarat. (FC)