PUI TESTING. Health personnel of Negros Occidental collect swab samples from a patient under investigation last week. The provincial government has conducted a province-wide testing of PUIs to contain the spread of Covid-19. (Photo courtesy of PIO Negros Occidental)
BACOLOD CITY – The five close contacts of the lone confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) patient in Negros Occidental have yielded negative results, the provincial government here confirmed on Tuesday.
“They tested negative after the rapid testing and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test,” it said in a press statement.
Their swab samples were among those taken during the province-wide testing of patients under investigation (PUIs), close contacts, and medical front-liners and sent to the Western Visayas Medical Center sub-national laboratory in Iloilo City last week.
Along with the five were 15 PUIs, who also tested negative for Covid-19 infection -- three in Himamaylan City; two each in Sagay City, Kabankalan City, Sipalay City, and Binalbagan; and one each in Escalante City, Silay City, Talisay City, and Manapla.
As of Tuesday, Negros Occidental still has only one confirmed case of Covid-19, a 42-year-old female from EB Magalona.
A list released on Monday afternoon showed 59 PUIs in the province while a total of 5,996 persons under monitoring (PUM) were included in the list of the Provincial Health Office (PHO).
On April 2, the provincial government began deploying health personnel to take swab samples of PUIs in various cities and municipalities across the province.
Between March 13 and April 4 alone, the PHO sent 135 specimens to laboratories. The results were one positive and 22 negatives while 122 results are still pending.
As part of its intensified efforts to contain the spread of Covid-19, the provincial government has launched the "Bantay Negrense", wherein it declares as a "hot zone" any street or barangay with either one positive case or one PUI, or at least five PUMs.
At least 50 “hot zones” in more than 20 LGUs in Negros Occidental have been identified. (PNA)
