Musician dies of COVID 1 week after Legazpi concert

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines — Health auhorities in the Bicol region yesterday ordered the contact tracing of individuals who watched a concert staged in this city by a Manila-based band, whose member recently died of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Ernie Vera, chief of the Department of Health (DOH)’s center for health development in Bicol, said they have asked concerned local government units to help them locate the people who watched the band’s concert in a hotel on March 11.

Vera said the band’s vocalist named Joey Bautista, who died in a hospital in Manila on March 19, was patient (PH) 351 in the (DOH)’s list of individuals tested positive for COVID-19.

He said data showed PH 351 or Bautista was a 56-year-old Filipino from San Juan City. 

Vera clarified that Bautista was not using his real name.

“Efforts to verify the real identity of Joey Bautista resulted in a match with PH 351,” Vera said in a statement issued to journalists.

Vera said individuals who were exposed to or in contact with Bautista are considered persons under investigation. He advised them to report to their respective local government units and follow strict home quarantine protocols.

He gave the assurance the DOH would not make public Bautista’s real name in compliance with a protocol on reporting COVID cases.

“Bautista’s cause of death was septic shock secondary to community-acquired pneumonia high risk as reported on March 22,” Vera said.

Bautista underwent COVID tests on March 14, or three days after the band’s performance.

The results confirming the patient tested positive for the disease came out only on March 20 or a day after he died.

“Upon confirmation on March 21 of Bautista’s death, the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit initiated contact tracing in coordination with local government units,” Vera said.

Earlier, Bautista’s fellow band members said they did not allow him to perform as he was feeling ill during the concert.

Some of those who attended the concert have subjected themselves to home quarantine even before the DOH released Bautista’s confirmatory test results.