Photo by Jerick James Pasiliao
SAN CARLOS CITY, Pangasinan – Authorities here have conducted tracing of people who had close contact with a policeman based in Camp Crame, Quezon City who went home and stayed here while waiting for his coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) test result that later turned out positive.
In a Facebook live message on Wednesday, Mayor Julier Resuello said the cop, a resident of Barangay Turac here, is assigned at Camp Crame where he possibly had exposure to a non-uniformed personnel in the camp who is Covid-19 positive.
Upon the authorities’ investigation, it was learned that the police officer came back home on April 9 while waiting for the result of his test conducted by the Philippine National Police (PNP) General Hospital.
"On April 13, he left the city early in the morning because there was a standing order from Camp Crame that all police units shall report back by 6:00 a.m. that day," he said.
Resuello added that at around 10 a.m. of April 13, officers of Camp Crame received a message that the cop’s test result came out positive.
The city government is now closely monitoring the situation of the police’s family members, as well as others whom he had close contact with during his stay in the province.
San Carlos City police have identified three personnel assigned in their station who had direct contact with the Covid-19 patient policeman.
The police personnel are a 34-year-old resident of Barangay Panganiban in Tayug town; a 37-year-old resident of Barangay Cruz this city; and a 33-year-old resident of Barangay Nabaluan in Mangaldan town.
Meanwhile, a three-year-old boy considered as a suspected Covid-19 case from Barangay Mestizo Norte here passed away Tuesday afternoon at the Pangasinan Provincial Hospital (PPH).
In a Facebook post, the San Carlos City Information Office confirmed that the child had no travel history outside their residence for the past 14 days.
"The patient was categorically considered as a suspected case (patient under investigation) due to the presence of pneumonia as his cause of death even in the absence of travel or direct exposure from a Covid-19 patient," it said.
According to his death certificate, the immediate cause of death of the child was due to acute respiratory failure secondary to the pediatric community-acquired pneumonia.
It was learned that the patient also suffered from congenital heart disease and Down syndrome.
As part of the proper burial procedures for the suspected Covid-19 patients, the child’s remains were buried within the 12-hour period.
As of the 10 p.m. on April 14, there are three probable Covid-19 patients in the city.
While the patient from Barangay Mamarlao has now tested negative of the virus, the other two from Barangays Bolingit and Payapa are still waiting for the results of their swab tests while being isolated in a hospital. (PNA)
