ZAMBALES, still under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) status upon the request of Governor Hermogenes Ebdane, Jr., has become the only province in Central Luzon (Region 3) to have registered a “zero COVID19-positive case” in the past two weeks, according to the Dept. of Health (DoH) records.

In an announcement over the weekend, Gov. Ebdane, Jr. said that of the total 21 COVID19 positive cases since the month of April, all but one (1) have already recovered, the fatality having died early on during the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) lockdown.

“Mayroon pa tayong magandang balita… sa araw na ito ay zero case na tayo dito sa Zambales insofar as confirmed case of COVID19 is concerned,” Ebdane said as he revealed the release from the Pres. Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Hospital (PRMMH) of the last four (4) patients afflicted with the virus.

However, Gov. Ebdane clarified that despite the encouraging development, he clarified that Zambales is not necessarily COVID19 free, adding that the public should continue to follow protocols and practices that are in place to prevent the spread of the virus.

“Hindi po natin pwedeng i-declare ang Zambales na COVID19 free kasi magmula noong mag-rapid test tayo ay na-testing natin lahat-lahat ay 23,830 at ang nag-“react” sa rapid testing ay 506,” Ebdane said, ” ang ginawa natin ay kinon-fine natin sila sa ospital.”

A second rapid test on those that had “reactions”‘ yielded negative results, saved for 73 still awaiting final results on their swab samples, now classified under “suspect case.”

Ebdane said the release of those that already tested negative from the 172-bed PRMMH has boosted the hospital’s capacity to accommodate more patients, if necessary.

In Olongapo City, Mayor Rolen “Lenj” C. Paulino, Jr. was ecstatic in the release of the last COVID19-positive patient from the James L. Gordon Memorial Hospital (JLGMH).

“Iyong ating no. 12 po na confirmed case ay nag-negative na rin po, officially recovered na siya,” Mayor Paulino said.

The city had a total of 12 positive cases since the first was recorded during the ECQ.

He, too, warned that the fight against the virus is not over yet. “Hindi pa po tayo tapos. Lahat ng dapat nating gawin, lahat ng precautions kailangan tuloy-tuloy pa rin po,” said Paulino.

While Olongapo has been on a more relaxed status of General Community Quarantine (GCQ) already, as of today, the city still has 47 “suspect cases” awaiting test results, 12 recoveries, and nil probable case.

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WITH the continuing transmission of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) and the risk of a second wave of infections, Governor Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. wants the extension of Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in Zambales province, at least until the end of the month May.

“The health of our residents remains our primary priority,” Ebdane said in a letter request to Director Julie J. Daquioag, chairperson of the Central Luzon Regional Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (RIATF), “local transmission is still increasing and our hospital capacity will not be able to accommodate the surge of patients once the restrictions are lifted.”

Zambales has been placed under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) and classified as moderate-risk of Covid-19, but according to Ebdane, local health officials still see a high prevalence of Covid-19 transmission in the province, thus, his request for ECQ extension in the province.

He pointed out that while the bed capacity at the President Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Hospital is only 235, there are already 158 patients admitted with 130 of those still awaiting the results of their polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests. “What we are really concerned about is a more severe second wave if we fail to isolate COVID-19 patients,” Ebdane added.

He said that local officials had recommended the extension of ECQ “with the hope that the situation will improve in another 15 days so we can fully shift to a GCQ.” Zambales, which has a population of 590,848 in the 2015 census, has reported 18 confirmed Covid-19 cases, as well as a total of five recoveries and one death as of May 13.

Figures from the Provincial Health Office (PHO) indicated that nine of the 13 Zambales towns had confirmed cases while the four northernmost towns had none. Residents attributed this to strict quarantine measures implemented by the provincial government.

Ebdane had earlier said that the Covid-19 situation in Zambales “had been properly managed” following the implementation of what he called the “7-14-14” program. This involved seven days “sweeping” with rapid testing and confirmatory tests; 14 days of treatment and follow-up contact tracing; and 14 days of convalescence and recovery.

The provincial government also enforced strict health protocols for returning residents, among them overseas workers, students, and laborers employed elsewhere. “Our target was to get to the summit, or the peak of the curve, before April 30 so we can have a ‘cliff’ after that,” Ebdane said.

However, with rapid testing, it was found out that were a number of frontliners and LGU personnel probably afflicted by Covid-19, Ebdane said. “These had to undergo confirmatory tests,” he added. Prior to Ebdane’s request for extension of ECQ, the Association of Municipal Health Officers (AMHO) in Zambales had called for similar extension “for us to be assured that the spread of Covid-19 is totally halted.”

“We do not want all our collective efforts (against Covid-19) to be put into waste. We cannot afford the emergence of a second wave,” the health officers said in a letter to Ebdane.

At least two other provinces – Bataan and Bulacan – in Central Luzon have requested for ECQ extension for similar reasons.

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HOPES were raised and dashed in a single day as both good and bad news rocked the Zambales – Olongapo – Subic Bay Freeport area on Good Friday (April 10).

First, the Provincial Health Office (PHO) of Zambales announced that the first confirmed positive case of the COVID19 Virus in the province has recovered.

“Ikinagagalak pong ipaalam ng PHO sa publiko na ang kauna-unahang kaso na kumpirmadong positibo sa COVID19 sa ating lalawigan ay nasa maayos ng kalagayan sa kasalukuyan,” Dr. Noel C. Bueno said in a statement.

The 73-year-old male former US Navy Serviceman from San Antonio, Zambales has already tested negative of the virus twice, Bueno said.

The PHO, however, on the same day recanted an announcement issued the previous day that a patient at the President Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Hospital (PRMMH) in Iba, Zambales has recovered from the virus.

According to Bueno, the 42-year-old female from San Felipe Zambales was erroneously reported to have tested negative on Thursday by the Provincial Department of Health Office (PDHO), thus, the wrong announcement.

“Bagamat hindi sinasadya, humihingi po ng paumanhin ang PHDO sa pagkakamaling ito at nangangakong hindi na mauulit ang pangyayaring ito,” Bueno said.

In the Subic Bay Freeport, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chair & Administrator Wilma T. Eisma announced that a COVID19+ patient at the Baypointe Hospital has been released.

“Today, April 10, 2020, Good Friday, BayPointe Hospital sent home a COVID-19 patient from Olongapo City who have now tested negative and is fully recovered,” Eisma said.

This came as the Olongapo COVID-19 Task Force confirmed that a 35-year-old Filipino female have tested positive for the virus, the fifth case in the city.

“Lima (5) na po ang Confirmed COVID-19 case sa ating lungsod,” said Mayor Rolen C. Paulino, Jr., “Ang pasyente po ay nagkaroon ng sintomas ng COVID-19 at kasalukuyan po siyang naka-isolate sa isang pagamutan sa lalawigan ng Bataan, at nasa stable na kondisyon.”

To date, Paulino said the city has one (1) patient who has recovered from the virus while a total of 1,236 Persons Under Investigation (PUI) and Persons Under Monitoring (PUM) has been cleared of the COVID19.

The latest count place the total PUI of the city at 146, and PUM at 269. (VGV)

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