Manila resident returning from vacation tests Covid-positive 

The swab test or Covid-19 real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT -PCR) test required for returning Manila residents who spent their holidays in the provinces yielded one positive result for the coronavirus disease (Covid-10) as of January 7, according to a report by Philippine News Agency.

Manila Public Information Office head Julius Leonen said the Manila Health Department (MHD) reported the first positive case.

He said since its implementation on January 2, about 576 “Balik-Maynila” individuals have so far undergone the swab test based on the report by the MHD.

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On January 7, Leonen said a 28-year-old female who traveled from Pampanga and a resident of Sampaloc, Manila turned out to be Covid-19 positive in the RT-PCR test.

“This is the first positive case reported under the Balik-Maynila swabbing operation,” Leonen said.

Leonen said the patient is now under a quarantine facility.

The MHD, he added, is now conducting contact tracing.

The city government of Manila, through the MHD, issued a memorandum to all barangay officials in the city requiring all returning Manila residents who went out of the city during the holidays to undergo swab tests before they are allowed entry into their respective villages.

It said the move is done to avoid a new spike in the number of Covid-19 cases in the city especially that many of its residents traveled out of Manila to spend Christmas and New Year together with their families in the provinces.

As of Thursday noon, the Manila Emergency Operations Center has reported a total of 34 new Covid-19 cases bringing to 295 the number of active cases in the city.

The MHD also reported a total of 24,095 recoveries after reporting 52 new recoveries.

Some four new deaths have also been recorded, bringing to 757 the total number of deaths due to Covid-19.