COTABATO CITY – The Ministry of Health of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) has recorded 11 new coronavirus disease (Covid-19) confirmed cases in the region on Tuesday.
MOH Minister, Dr. Saffrullah Dipatuan, MOH-BARMM chief, said the new cases are among the 16 students from Cebu who availed of the government's "Balik-Probinsya" program.
Earlier, a 22-year-old male student from Datu Saudi Ampatuan town, also among the 16 students from Cebu tested positive for Covid-19.
“When the students arrived, they were not allowed to go home and immediately subjected to Covid-19 testing by provincial health authorities. Initially, we had one confirmed case among the students studying in Cebu, but now we have an additional 11 cases,” Dipatuan told reporters here in an interview.
Dipatuan added that all new patients are in stable condition and currently in isolation at the Maguindanao Provincial Hospital in Datu Hoffer Ampatuan municipality.
Meanwhile, MOH-BARMM is coordinating with hotels in the region to serve as temporary quarantine stations for returning Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) before proceeding to their respective provinces.
Dipatuan said that all returning OFWs in the region who have undergone the RT-PCR test have turned out negative of the virus.
“However, despite their being negative from the coronavirus test, this does not mean that we would be complacent as they should still undergo the 14-day quarantine as part of the Covid-19 guideline implementation,” he said.
Section 4, under the Social Welfare, Health and Employment clause of Executive Order No. 114 of President Rodrigo Duterte, states that “comprehensive assistance packages” designed “to encourage voluntary and immediate movement” of individuals back to their hometown should be formulated, especially those stranded in the National Capital Region due to enhanced community quarantine.
Moreover, Dipatuan said they will continue to give entry to constituents who availed of the "Balik Probinsya" program, "as it is their given right."
“Upon their return to the region, they have to be tested again, especially now that we now have a laboratory testing center at the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center in Cotabato City,” he added.
He maintained that the General Community Quarantine status in the region will not be affected by the number of new cases.
As of Tuesday, BARMM has a total of 23 confirmed Covid-19 cases — 13 from Maguindanao; nine from Lanao del Sur; and one in Sulu. Of these positive cases, seven have recovered, 12 are currently admitted at isolation facilities, and four have died. (PNA)
