Palawan new COVID-19 case was allowed to go back to Australia pending test result

The first COVID-19 case in Palawan is an Australian who was allowed to travel back to his home country even if his test result has not yet been released.

The Palawan Public Information Office said the COVID-positive case is a 26-year-old male Australian who stayed in San Vicente.

He was discharged from the Ospital ng Palawan and given health clearance by the City Health Office on March 17 to travel to Clark, Pampanga, and from there, take a flight to Australia, the Palawan PIO said.

The patient's test result from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) however was released on Thursday, March 19, according to the Department of Health Center for Health Development - Mimaropa. He tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

The said patient traveled from Kuala Lumpur to Manila, then Puerto Princesa City on March 5.

On March 7 when he was in one of Palawan's  municipalities, he developed a fever and sought medical attention.

He was admitted to the hospital in Puerto Princesa City on March 13.

Samples taken from him were sent to RITM on March 14.

The patient however was allowed to go back to Australia on March 17 since his fever already subsided.

The DOH CHD Mimaropa said its Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit in Mimaropa has began contact tracing regarding the said case.

Authorities also contacted the concerned hotels and facilities where the patient stayed for them to implement infection prevention and control measures. 

The province of Palawan has been placed under a state of calamity on Friday due to the threat of COVID-19.

The Palawan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said there are 49 persons under investigation (PUIs) as of 12 noon on Saturday. 

The DOH said there were 32 new COVID-19 cases in the country as of Saturday, bringing the total to 262.

One patient died on Saturday, bringing the death toll to 19. —KG, GMA News