MANILA - Western Visayas has recorded its first case of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), authorities said on Friday.
The 56-year-old man is currently confined at a hospital in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, the Bacolod City Inter-Agency Task Force Against COVID-19 said.
The patient arrived in Bacolod City on Feb. 29 after vacationing in London. He was admitted to a hospital on March 6 after exhibiting flu-like symptoms.
Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia has ordered local health authorities to locate people who may have come in contact with the patient and identify the places he also visited.
The mayor also urged the public to stay at home, avoid non-essential travel, practice hygiene, and observe social distancing.
Bacolod City is currently under a general community quarantine to curb the spread of the disease.
As of Friday, the Philippines has recorded 230 COVID-19 infections. Of the number, 18 have died while 8 have recovered. - Report from Nico Delfin, ABS-CBN News
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