Two patients at the Governor Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital (GCGMH) in Tagbilaran City who were diagnosed with Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) and Moderate Acute Respiratory Infection (MARI) died at the health facility on Tuesday.

Dr. Yul Lopez, spokesperson of the Capitol’s inter-agency task force on emerging diseases, on Wednesday morning said they are still awaiting the results of their second coronavirus disease (COVID) 19 tests from the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMCC) in Cebu.

According to Lopez, one of the patients had pneumonia while the other had severe asthma.

Lopez clarified that the two fatalities already tested negative for the COVID-19 while they were admitted at the hospital, but swab samples were again taken from both patients following their deaths on Tuesday.

According to Lopez, stringent protocols were observed in handling the remains of both patients while those in contact with them were ordered to undergo home quarantine.

“Bisan pa og negative, gipalubong nato within 12 hours. Gisulod og sealed casket. Wala nay vigil. Ang tanang contact niya gipa home quarantine og gibantayan sa taga Health,” he said.

Bohol currently has zero active COVID-19 cases.

In January, A 60-year-old Chinese woman from Wuhan City, the outbreak’s epicenter, tested positive for COVID-19 a week after she was discharged from a hospital in Tagbilaran City. Her first test yielded a negative result prompting local health authorities to allow her discharge.

She had already left the country after the Department of Health confirmed on February 5 that she was infected making her the country’s third COVID-19 case.

Health authorities had earlier assured that thorough contact tracing was done by local health authorities and the Department of Health to determine if any of those who were in contact with the woman while in Bohol were infected.

Over 10 of those in contact with the patient including hospital staff were quarantined for 14 days and were considered as patients under investigation after they showed flu-like symptoms, but they all turned out negative for the disease. (RT)