Basilan reports first COVID-19 case

The provincial government of Basilan on Wednesday confirmed its first coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) case.

Governor Jim Hataman Salliman said the person is a dialysis patient from Tipo-Tipo who is currently confined at the Zamboanga City General Hospital.

The patient is in stable condition, he said.

According to the local government unit of Tipo-Tipo, the 47-year-old patient tested positive for the virus using rapid kits on Tuesday while the confirmatory test came out positive on Wednesday.

Salliman said contact-tracing efforts are now on-going.

"Pinakwan ko agad 'yung contact tracing kung saan talaga at kung kailan siya last nagpunta ng Zamboanga, saan siya pumunta," Salliman said in a radio interview.

All individuals traced will be subjected to rapid testing, Salliman said.

"We are urging the public to stay at home, refrain from going outside, observe strict physical distancing and refrain from believing and spreading fake news," the LGU advised. —LDF, GMA News