COVID-19 DEATH. The community in San Policarpo village in Calbayog City, Samar where the patient in the latest coronavirus death resides. The 14-year-old girl died on Monday (Aug. 3, 2020) just hours before health authorities found that she is a confirmed carrier of coronavirus disease 2019. (Photo from FB page of Barangay San Policarpo)
TACLOBAN CITY – A 14-year-old girl from Calbayog City, Samar has died just hours before health authorities found that she is a confirmed carrier of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) on Monday.
The Department of Health said on Wednesday the victim turned positive for coronavirus on August 3, a day after she was rushed to the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center (EVRMC) in this city.
“She was confined at the EVRMC due to other underlying conditions. She was admitted on August 2 and turned positive on August 3. She died in the morning hours before the release of the swab test result,” said DOH assistant regional director Exuperia Sabalberino in a virtual press briefing.
The girl, tagged as the region’s patient no. 993, was rushed at a local hospital in Calbayog on July 25 suffering from fever, cough, and vomiting. Based on her medical certificate, the patient was found to have soft tissue sarcoma (leiomysarcoma) and pulmonary tuberculosis.
She was confined for seven days and was discharged against medical advice last August 1, the city government said in a social media post on Tuesday night.
“Hours after her discharge, she experienced difficulty in breathing which prompted re-admission to another local hospital. Upon assessment, she was referred to EVRMC early morning of August 2. She died the next day,” the city government added.
Local health workers have been conducting an investigation, surveillance, and tracing of all direct contacts especially those within their community in San Policarpo village in Calbayog.
Authorities believe the girl caught the virus from an asymptomatic patient, whom she had close interaction with.
The young patient is the region’s fourth death related to Covid-19.
Earlier, a 65-year-old male from Kawayan, Biliran; a 47-year-old male from Kananga, Leyte; and 80-year-old female from Tarangnan, Samar also succumbed to Covid-19. (PNA)
