A COVID-19 patient in Cagayan de Oro was caught and brought back to the city's isolation unit on Sunday, January 10, 2021, after he escaped from the facility on the same day.
Acting City Health Officer Dr. Lorraine Nery said the patient, who was found in Barangay Agusan, was a referral from "a certain company."
Nery said investigation on the incident is still ongoing, adding that they are reviewing the CCTV recording to determine the time of the escape and the areas the patient went through.
"When it comes to security, naa tay mga security personnel nga ginabutang sa tanan natong nga CIUs ug TTMF. It just so happen nga kani dinhi sa area wherein this particular individual was isolated, dako sya, luag nga area, and ato pang gitan-aw karon ang CCTV nga recording," Nery said.
Nery said they have looked into the medical profile of the patient, but they are still waiting for the final report of the physician in-charge in the facility as there is no initial information on the patient's mental health status.
"Since naay history ani of escape, ato gyapong pahigayonan og psychosocial support ang kani nga individual atong ipa-assess ug atong ipa-evaluate ang iyahang psychosocial nga estado ug apil na sa iyahag family," Nery said.
Mayor Oscar Moreno, for his part, said the city's isolation unit is not a prison and the people who were tested positive for coronavirus are not being held against their will.
"We are duty-bound to ensure nga katong mga positive are isolated," Moreno said.
The mayor hoped that the Covid-19 patients will understand that their isolation is for their own good and the protection of their families.
"It really is a very tragic to hear nga naay moiskapo. Wala nila huna-hunaa nga ila inoong dal-on ang COvid sa ilahang balay," Moreno said.
"Masabtan unta nila kanang isolation para na sa ila ug para sa mahal nila sa kinabuhi kay kung wala sila diha, sigurado gyud matakdan nila ang ilang close contact," he added.
Nery said they have already brought five direct family members of the patient to the city isolation unit.