TALAVERA, Nueva Ecija – Health and municipal officials called on the public not to panic in the wake of the death of a 63-year-old man due to Covid-19 in Barangay Marcos here Friday afternoon.
The fatality, tagged as Nueva Ecija’s Patient 76, was listed as the fourth case of Covid-19 death in the province.
Mayor Nerivi Santos-Martinez said the man was fetched by relatives from Metro Manila on June 4 on board a private vehicle.
“Di-umano nakauwi po sila nang walang kaukulang papeles sapagkat noong panahong yaon ay GCQ (general community quarantine) na at maluwag na ang mga dadaanan kaya’t hindi po nai–report sa barangay o sa munisipyo ang kanilang pagdating at hindi po nabantayan ang ating pasyente,” Martinez said.
He paid visits to two health clinics and was admitted in a hospital on June 19 to 23. On June 29, Martinez said, the patient was admitted in a hospital in Cabanatuan City where he died on July 2.
The body was immediately cremated, she said.
Dr. Yolanda Lucas, municipal health officer, said the man had comorbidity of coronary heart disease.
Martinez said disinfecting has been made to the case’s ground zero or the patient’s residence and adjoining establishments as well as clinics he had visited.
“Pakiusap po sa ating lahat na huwag mag-panic. Iwasang magpakalat ng fake news at huwag i-discriminate ang pamilya ng biktima sapagkat sila po ay nasa isolation na,” she said.
Association of Barangay Councils president Nerito Santos, Jr. said a lockdown has been imposed over parts of Purok 3 of Barangay Marcos and parts of Barangay Esguerra.
“Sa mga apektado po na pamilya at mga trabahador na naiwan sa mga na-lockdown na establishments, katulong po ang barangay na magsu-supply ng mga pagkain at pangangailangan nila. Siyempre po ka-partner din ang ating pamahalaang bayan,” said Santos.
Of the 76 recorded Covid-19 positive cases in Nueva Ecija, eight are active with 64 fully recovered and four deaths, according to the provincial IATF.
