*The infected patient is a returning overseas worker in Bahrain;
all persons in contact with him are swab tested
Provincial authorities have officially confirmed the first case of COVID-19 UK variant in Ilocos Norte after a Returning Overseas Filipino (ROF) who worked in Bahrain was tested positive for the said infectious disease.
The provincial government of Ilocos Norte headed by Gov. Matthew Marcos Manotoc issued an official statement online dated Feb. 15, 2021 about the entry of the UK variant in Ilocos Norte tagging the patient as C-19-UK-1 and a native of Pasuquin town.
It said the ROF arrived in Manila from Bahrain on Jan. 23, 2021. When tested positive, he quarantined from Jan. 24 to Feb. 7. 2021.
The ROF arrived in Ilocos Norte last Feb. 8 through the southern border control checkpoint in Badoc town.
On Feb. 10, he was taken to the Foyer de Charite quarantine facility at Brgy. Mangato, Laoag City.
The Department of Health informed PGIN on Feb. 13 that the said ROF was tested positive of the UK variant and advised that contact tracing be conducted to the 3rd generation.
PGIN stated that the Task Force Salun-at had already identified all persons who may have been in contact with the patient and were all subjected to a swab test.
It added that the patient is under isolation since the day he entered the province.
The public was asked to be vigilant against the sharing of unverified information especially on social media, the PGIN officials said. (tri-media report)
