Authorities confirm locally-acquired transmission of Covid-19 in Kidapawan

COTABATO CITY  – After collating data from Cotabato Provincial and Kidapawan City Epidemiological Surveillance Units, and the Department of Health in the Soccsargen Region, provincial officials Friday declared local transmission in Kidapawan City and have prepared steps to prevent its spread.

“We can now confirm locally–acquired infection with community transmission in Kidapawan City,” Dr. Philbert Malaluan said in radio interview.

A 40-year-old law enforcer (North Cotabato’s Patient 89) first contracted the virus after attending a 15-day work-related training in Tambler, General Santos City where a spike in Covid-19 cases has been reported.

A 35-year-old is a blood relative of Patient 89 with whom he was exposed. The provincial epidemiology units found that both patients have a history of travel from and from Digos City, Davao del Sur.

A 65-year-old man (Patient 74) is a relative of Patient 89 who have flu-like symptoms that prompted his admission to a government hospital last Sept. 3.

“It seems that the source of infection of at least one of the three mentioned patients cannot be attributed to outside North Cotabato,” said Malaluan, a medical doctor and member of the Sangguniang Panglalawigan.

“Please note that this is not a widespread form of local transmission, which is more dangerous because the source of the virus has not been identified and contained,” Malauan explained.

“Rest assured that the infected patients are now still isolated and on their way to recovery, and their close contacts have been quarantined,” Malaluan added.

He said as of posting, no application for localized lockdown by the Kidapawan City LGU.

“We (Cotabato provincial and Kidapawan govt) are jointly fighting this Covid-19 and we are ontop of the situation,” Malaluan said