25 Luz residents who first tested COVID-19 positive still isolated

CEBU, Philippines —  At least 24 residents of Barangay Luz in Cebu City who are among the first who tested positive for COVID-19 are still at the barangay isolation center (BIC) 40 days after they were put in isolation.

The result of their re-test remained unavailable as of yesterday, two weeks after the re-test using the rapid test was done.  

These residents are asymptomatic.   

Barrio Luz was the first barangay to utilize the BIC in Cebu after the number of positive cases soared to over a hundred, mainly in Sitio Zapatera.

The first 65 patients from Zapatera were brought to the BIC on April 21.

Last May 6, City Administrator Floro Casas Jr. reported to the City Council that about a hundred have already recovered but this was denied by city health chief, Dr. Daisy Villa, during the Council’s special session two days later.

Re-swabbing for the first batch of patients took place on May 7 and the patients learned of the result after a week. From that test, 44 were cleared and were sent home.

Twenty-four others who turned out negative and one patient whose result was declared invalid would have to undergo a re-test for confirmation. The re-test took place on May 18 and it was done both on the remaining patients from the first batch and second batch of patients who were brought to the BIC.

Roy Genares, the designated spokesperson at the isolation center, noted that the remaining patients from the first batch were tested using only the rapid test while the second batch were tested using both rapid and swab tests.

“Ingon sila, para daw sure ball. Gidungan ang rapid ug swab. Pwede diay na? Unya ang first batch, ila rang gi-rapid kay nare-swab naman pag-una. Nisabot ra sab mi,” Genares told The Freeman.

Generas had been cleared of the disease but chose to remain in the isolation center to take care of his mother and the more than 20 senior citizens from the first batch who are still there.

Almost two weeks after, result of the re-test on the second batch of patients was released but the result of the re-test on the remaining patients from the first batch remains unavailable.

Genares said those from the second batch who were re-tested were found negative but were not given a certificate, unlike those in the first batch. Those from the second batch who tested negative were already sent home last May 28.

“Ang mas gikalibgan namo kay nganong ang swab test nauna pa’s rapid test. Abi ba nako’g rapid, paspas? Kung mao ning storyaha, maypa ga-home isolation na lang ming tanan,” Genares said.

(What we can’t understand is why the result of the swab test came out faster than the result of the rapid test. I thought the rapid test is faster. If that’s the case, we might as well have isolated in our houses.)

Genares said Labella’s spokesperson, Rey Gealon, promised to retrieve the results after learning of their concern yesterday.

What adds to their confusion, Generas said, is learning that the remaining first batch of patients would reportedly need to be re-swabbed. 

“Naglibog na mig samot. Unsa man gyud? Kung mao ng storyaha, maypa gi-swab na lang ni sila’g balik tanan. Murag ga-kaskas raman nig kwarta sa gobyerno,” Genares said.

(We’re more confused now. If that’s the case, they should have just let everyone undergo the swab test. It looks like they’re just wasting government money.)

On May 19, the third batch of positive patients from the barangay were brought to the BIC, most of whom are asymptomatic.

“Kuyaw ani og mauna pa ning third batch ug uli sa nabilin sa first batch. Unsa man ni, base sa Biblia? So the last shall be first, and first last? Sa kadugay na ani nila diri, mag-regor na ang mga utok,” Genares said.

(This will be difficult if the third batch of patients will go home first than the remaining patients from the first batch. Is this like what is said in the Bible – that the last shall be first and the first last? They’re getting more and more confused the longer they stay here.)  JMO (FREEMAN)