ANGELES CITY – Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin, Jr. today, March 21, 2020, confirmed that Angeles City is still Covid 19 free.
Lazatin’s statement came after residents started panicking after news that a Covid 19 positive patient died in Rafael Lazatin Memorial Medical Center (RLMMC), formerly Ospital Ning Angeles, spread.
Dr. Froilan Canlas, RLMMC officer-in-charge, said the patient’s body, who was seen in a facebook post being taken out from the hospital’s COVID 19 isolation room in a casket, died due to Acute Respiratory Failure secondary to MDR-TB (Multiple Drug Resistant Tubercolosis).
“We have the patient’s record. Since he is suffering from TB, he has the same symptoms of a person under investigation (PUI) of COVID 19. That is why we put him in isolation,” Canlas said.
The patient is a 64 year old male from Barangay Anunas. He was in RLMMC’s isolation room for six hour before he succumbed to death.
Canlas explained that since he is considered as PUI, the hospital had to strictly abide by the Department of Health (DOH) guidelines of disposal of dead persons.
“Kahit PUI lang siya, kailangan sundin natin ang guidelines ng DOH,” Canlas said.
Under the DOH guidelines the body must be in sealed plastic bag and no embalming must be done.
Lazatin, on his part, reassured his constituents that the city government is doing everything it can to combat the pandemic COVID 19.
He also reiterated his appeal to business establishments that are not essentials to close shop and help limit the residents’ movement.
“Until now may mga laundry shops na matitigas ang ulo at mga nagititinda ng furniture shops. I ordered the Business Permit and Licensing Division to revoke their business permit,” Lazatin said.