Eastern Visayas, Cordillera COVID cases rise !-- -- Miriam Desacada (The Philippine Star) - June 13, 2020 - 12:00am MANILA, Philippines The Department of Health (DOH)-Eastern Visayas office has expressed concern over the increase in the number of coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 cases in the region. Fourteen new cases were recorded yesterday, bringing the number of those infected in Eastern Visayas to 90. Twelve of the latest cases are returning residents of Baybay City in Leyte, six of them stranded in Cebu.

Five were stranded in Metro Manila and another is an overseas Filipino worker (OFW). The two other partients are a returning resident of Tacloban City and another OFW, who is the first confirmed case in Bontoc, Southern Leyte.

On Wednesday, the DOH regional office recorded 19 cases, the highest in a single day. DOH regional director Minerva Molon said the cases are "alarming," noting that the patients are all returning residents.

In the Cordilleras, 16 cases were recorded yesterday. Eight of the cases are from Benguet and six from Apayao.

A female teacher in Manabo, Abra and a taxi driver in Baguio City are among the new cases. Barangay Balili in Mankayan, Benguet as well as the borders of Pudtol, Luna and Sta.

Marcela towns in Apayao, where some of the patients reside, are on lockdown. Only Mountain Province in the Cordilleras remains COVID-free.

The number of confirmed cases in Negros Occidental is also increasing. Four stranded residents and two OFWs were added to the list yesterday.

Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia said the 20 cases in their city are "imported." Cebu mayor infected In Cebu, Mayor Jhunard Chan of Lapu-Lapu City tested positive for the virus, results released on Thursday showed.

"Kahit ano pa man ang ating pag-iingat, nahawa pa rin tayo," Chan said in a post on Facebook. The mayor is quarantined at his residence.

He said doctors monitoring him are confident that he would quickly recover. In Pangasinan, a police officer who was exposed to his infected colleague is the second case in San Carlos City.

The police officers, who were assigned in Sual and Dagupan City, are confined at the Pangasinan Provincial Hospital. Raymund Catindig, Artemio Dumlao, Gilbert Bayoran, Eva Visperas, Romina Cabrera

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