Baguio, Philippines – One of the city’s two new Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients revealed her identity in response to Mayor Benjamin Magalong’s call to help in contact tracing, prevent virus transmission and save lives.
Ailene Doria, 28, of City Camp Central, is a returning Baguio worker who arrived in the city last May 29 for the resumption of her work as a store manager in one of the establishments in Baguio.
She came from San Fernando, La Union where she stayed in a company-appointed boarding house in San Fernando, La Union for three days from May 26 to wait for the confirmation of her travel date to Baguio.
Prior to this, she had stayed in her hometown of Binmaley, Pangasinan for two months since March 16 after her work was suspended upon the declaration of the Enhanced Community Quarantine in the city.
She said she complied with the Returning Baguio Residents and Workers process and underwent triage at the St. Vincent gym upon arrival. At the triage, she underwent a diagnostic x-ray which showed that she had suspicious pneumonia prompting triage doctors to let her undergo a swab or the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test.
From St. Vincent, she went directly to her boarding house as she was advised to self-quarantine while waiting for the test result. She said she strictly followed the advice as she was living alone.
Her contacts included her lone travel companion and the driver of the private car which ferried them to the city and some acquaintances at the boarding house in San Fernando. In Binmaley, she did not have many contacts as their house is secluded.
Doria said she agreed at once to the suggestion of Mayor Magalong for her to come out as she wanted her family, relatives and all others whom she came in contact with in the past days to be aware of her condition and to also quarantine and seek medical attention to avoid infecting others.
She also appealed for understanding as she herself is not aware where she contracted the disease.
