THE Department of Health (DOH)-Central Visayas recorded 144 new coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases in the region Wednesday, April 22, 2020.
This brought the total number of Covid-19 patients in the region to 346.
The DOH-Central Visayas, with the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center sub-national laboratory, released a total of 442 test results Wednesday. Of the number, 144 were positive results.
The DOH also recorded one additional mortality on Wednesday. It involved a 70-year-old male resident of Mandaue City and is the city’s first mortality.
The DOH said the patient died due to severe acute respiratory disease due to Covid-19 pneumonia. He also had existing medical condition such as Alzheimer's disease.
Of the 144 cases, 139 were recorded in Cebu City, of which 123 are from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology-Cebu City Jail, while 16 are residents of Cebu City.
Lapu-Lapu City also has five new cases, bringing the total to 18.
Mandaue City's cases remain at nine.
The DOH-Central Visayas said the newborn baby who was earlier reported to be positive for the new virus has undergone a repeat test. The new result showed he was negative for the virus.
"The short span of time from birth and the supposed infection to viral clearance with the negative result can be attributed to a false positive reading," the DOH-Central Visayas said in a statement.
It added that there are a lot of factors that could have caused a false reading. But it assured that the VSMMC sub-national laboratory has "strict protocols to prevent such events."
It said results that are doubtful due to certain events should undergo repeat testing for validation.
"However, in the drive to be transparent and provide the latest information, the result was recorded and released pending the repeat test," the DOH added. (WBS)