THIRTY-FOUR passengers who returned to Cagayan de Oro City on May 19 have been categorized as close contacts of the 26-year-old man who tested positive for coronavirus, City Health Office (CHO) epidemiologist Dr. Joselito Retuya said.

He said the CHO has also identified six personnel of the ship who had contact with the patient.

According to Retuya, the 34 persons were co-passengers of the latest Covid-19 patient in Northern Mindanao. Most of them were stranded in the pier in Cebu City since May 15.

Retuya said their trip going back to Cagayan de Oro on May 16 was postponed.

They stayed on a holding area in the pier on May 18 and was able to leave Cebu City on the dawn of May 19 and arrived in Cagayan de Oro City in the evening of the same day.

The city health officer said the man infected with Covid-19 whose major complaint was mild cough has exhibited no fever and his health is improving.

The man, who was a resident of Iligan City, is the latest coronavirus disease (Covid-19) case in the region.

Retuya said the coronavirus-positive passenger is a student living in a boarding house in a numbered barangay in Cagayan de Oro City. He went to Cebu City to take the Architect Licensure examination, which was postponed.