Town councilor is first COVID-19 fatality in Negros Oriental –governor

A councilor of the municipality of Tayasan is the first death due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) recorded in Negros Oriental, Governor Roel Degamo confirmed Sunday.

Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB, Degamo said the fatality was a man in his 60s who had recently traveled to Greenhills in San Juan for the Philippine Councilors League convention.

FLASH REPORT: Isa, kumpirmadong patay dahil sa #COVID19 sa Negros Oriental, ayon kay Gov. Roel Degamo.

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— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) March 15, 2020

Gov. Degamo: Matanda na ito, 62 years old na (namatay sa Negros Oriental dahil sa COVID-19), bagong opera ito sa kidney kaya very vulnerable.

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) March 15, 2020

The late councilor had recently traveled to Greenhills in San Juan for a convention of the Philippine Councilors League.

Greenhills is believed to be a hotspot for COVID-19 after several people who visited a prayer hall there tested positive for the disease.

The governor said nine contacts of the late councilor have been classified as persons under investigation for possible COVID-19 infection.

“All councilors of Tayasan and some [from] Negros Oriental na nakasama niya sa Councilors League [ay] under quarantine,” Degamo added.

It is unclear whether the councilor is among the eight COVID-19 fatalities earlier announced by the Department of Health (DOH).

The DOH previously said that a man from Negros Oriental in his 60s with  travel history to Greenhills tested positive for COVID-19.

The said patient was initially confined at the Ace Dumaguete Doctors and later transferred to the Siliman University Medical Center.

Degamo called on all his constituents to obey government orders to help in efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

The Philippines has 111 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of Saturday night. —Julia Mari Ornedo/LBG/JST, GMA News