By Marisol Bo-oc | 12:01 PM May 11, 2020
Bohol Governor Art Yap on Monday said he has no reason to hide the results of the
polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests done on 65 repatriated overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who are now under quarantine in Bohol.
“Walay rason nga akong tago-an ang resulta. I have no interest to hide the results. Kay kung tago-an nako ang resulta, unya simbako naay mahitabong outbreak dinhi sa Bohol tungod kay wala makahibaw ang mga Bol-anon sa tinuod estado sa atong lalawigan, musamot ug kadako ang akong problema ana,” said Yap on his official Facebook page.
“Mao nga kung naay resulta o impormasyon nga angay ipahibaw sa katawhan, ako gyud ng ipahibaw kaninyong tanan,” he added.
He said the provincial government of Bohol has yet to receive the confirmatory results from the Department of Health (DOH) since last week.
Yap, who made follow-ups with DOH-Region 7 Regional Director Jaime Bernadas for the results, said the regional chief told him to wait.
“Ingon niya, wala pa gihapo’y resulta. Dugang ni Dir. Bernadas, tawagan ko niya ug pahibaw-on kung naa nay resulta sa PCR Test,” Yap said on his Facebook.
Yap said Bernadas clarified that the two OFWs who were positive of the PRC test were classified by the DOH as “false positive.”
“Gi-klaro usab ni Dir. Bernadas nga kadtong duha ka mga OFW nga nagpositibo sa PCR Test, gi-classify sa DOH as False Positive tungod kay wala silay simtomas ng gibati ug walay present infection base sa rapid test ug CBC. Mao kini ang sulti sa DOH isip eksperto sa natad sa maayong panglawas,” said Yap.
At least 163 swab samples from returning OFWs were forwarded to the subnational laboratory Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC SNL) on Tuesday, May 5, 2020, for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) testing.
Of the 163 swab amples, 65 were from repatriated overseas Filipino workers who arrived in the province last week. The other 11 were from the medical workers and police and other personnel who had contact with the OFWs and the 87 influenza-like illness (ILI) patients from its 48 component local government units.
The 65 OFWs are now under mandatory quarantine in three facilities in Bohol.
Dr. Yul Lopez of the Provincial Health Office said none of the patients has a fever except for three indviduals who have colds but “improving”.
The current DOH protocol to detect infection of the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, uses polymerase chain reaction (PCR) machines.
