The 38-year-old Returning Overseas Filipino (ROF) who tested positive for the COVID-19 Omicron variant, remains in quarantine at a Bacolod City hotel and will be released after seven days.
He was retested on Monday, January 3, and was still positive for COVID-19, while his wife tested negative.
The fact that his wife, who has been in close contact with him since he arrived in Bacolod on December 31, tested negative is an indication that he is no longer contagious, Em Ang, Emergency Operations Center Task Force (EOC-TF) executive director, said Tuesday, January 4.
The ROF had no contact with other people because when he arrived he went straight to the hotel where his wife had reservations, Ang said.
Dr. Rosalie Deocampo, EOC-TF cluster head for contact-tracing, said his positive test result had a cycle threshold of 36.7, which means that he not likely to be infectious.
Dr. Jane Juanico, infections disease cluster head of the Department of Health in Western Visayas, informed Deocampo that the ROF and his wife were made to complete a seven-day isolation period after which they can reintegrate with the community.
The Inter Agency Task Force guidelines allow for only 10 days of isolation for recovered patients, Deocampo said, adding that the ROF “has already recovered and the people have nothing to worry about”.
The ROF is from Mindanao and his wife, who works at a Bacolod call center, is from Pampanga. Both are asymptomatic.
He is cruise ship employee who arrived in Manila on December 15 from Florida in the United States.
He was quarantined at a Metro Manila hotel, tested positive for COVID-19 on December 20, and was declared clinically recovered and released from quarantine on December 31.
A day after he arrived in Bacolod officials were informed that the Philippine Genome Center on January 1 found that he had been hit with the Omicron variant.
This prompted his retesting for COVID-19 along with his wife, the results of which were released Monday night.
The ROF was fully-vaccinated and had also received a booster shot in the United States.
Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia said that while the “imported” Omicron variant-infected ROF is considered cleared, the city government will have to strengthen border controls.
Residents should remain vigilant, get vaccinated or booster shots, observe minimum health protocols and should not be complacent in the light of the uptick of COVID cases in the National Capital Region that might spill over to the provinces, he added.
FACE-TO-FACE CLASSES
Leonardia also held off any decision to restart the holding of limited face-to-face classes at Alangilan National High School.
He also put on hold a final decision on applications by a local college and university to begin face-to-face classes for their allied medical courses.
Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran also concurred with the suggestion of Councilor Cindy Tan-Rojas and EOC members to set aside face-to-face class instructions for 15 to 30 days, because there is a high possibility of a resurgence of COVID-19 cases.*