South Cotabato Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. (PNA Gensan file photo)
GENERAL SANTOS CITY – South Cotabato Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. has tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
Tamayo personally confirmed in a video message and a Facebook post of the provincial government late Sunday afternoon that he has contracted the disease and is experiencing unspecified symptoms.
He turned out positive of Covid-19 last Friday through reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction testing, three days after his exposure to a confirmed case.
“Mga mahal kong South Cotabateños, ikinalulungkot kong ipinapaalam sa inyo na ang inyong lingkod ay tinamaan ng Covid-19 (My beloved South Cotabateños, I am saddened to inform that I have been hit by Covid-19),” he said.
Tamayo said his condition has rendered him temporarily incapable of physically addressing the concerns of the people and in performing his duties.
He said he has entrusted the province’s governance to Vice Governor Vicente de Jesus until he recovers and is able to return to service.
Tamayo said he had close contact last Tuesday with a person who tested positive for Covid-19.
He underwent initial testing on Wednesday and came out negative but started to experience suspected symptoms of the disease the following day.
Tamayo said he took another swab test last Friday and was confirmed positive for Covid-19.
“From (my initial) negative to the positive (test result), I was already on quarantine so I had no other close contact except my family who all tested negative as of Feb. 20, Saturday,” he said.
Tamayo also went into isolation last December after his seven-year-old son, Thirdy, tested positive for the disease.
He joined his youngest child in an isolation facility in their hometown in Tupi, South Cotabato to personally take care of him.
The child, who was asymptomatic, fully recovered while Tamayo tested negative in several tests despite their close contact then. (PNA)
