COVID-19 patient escapes from Basilan quarantine facility

BASILAN, Philippines – Al-Barka town Mayor Lajid Darus confirmed on Friday, June 26, that a male COVID-19 patient has escaped from a government quarantine facility.

In an interview on Dxno-Radyo Komunidad, Darus said local health authorities have been searching for the 23-year-old patient since he fled Barangay Magcawa’s isolation facility on Thursday, June 25. They went to his residence in the same barangay, but he was nowhere to be found. 

He had escaped upon learning that personnel from the provincial health office were heading to the facility that day, Darus added. 

The patient was the first case registered in Al-Barka town. He had close contact with one of the councilors of Lamitan City who had tested positive for the virus. He and the councilor traveled by van from Manila to Basilan. (READ: Returnees from NCR are first COVID-19 cases in 2 Basilan towns)

The Al-Barka municipal government said in a Facebook post that the patient arrived in Basilan on June 17, was tested on June 22, and confirmed as coronavirus-positive on the night of June 24.

He was among the 8 additional cases confirmed in the island province since Thursday, bringing to 14 the total number of coronavirus cases in the province.

As of Thursday, the Philippines has a total of 33,069 cases, with 1,212 deaths and 8,910 recoveries. – Richard Falcatan/Rappler.com