The recovery of a 106-year old resident from the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patient last Oct. 20 has proven that “age is just a number,” the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC) management said.
“The centenarian now serves as an epitome of a COVID fighter in the City of Baguio and the Cordillera Region. Despite all the difficulties during his admission, he was able to prove that age is just a number,” the BGHMC said in a statement posted over social media.
BGHMC Medical Center Chief Dr. Runez, in their post said, the recovery of the centenarian proved that people have begun to adapt to the pandemic and are continuing “to strive towards resiliency” despite the challenges.
Adult Infectious Disease Specialist Thea Pamela Cajulao said, “Our patient is a living proof that COVID-19 can be beaten.”
Cajulao however cautioned the public to continue taking COVID-19 seriously because while “most cases in the city are mild, the number of severe and critical cases is increasing especially among the vulnerable population including the elderly and those with co-morbidities.”
“Remember that prevention is better than cure, but in instances that we cannot prevent it, early detection, treatment and isolation can help decrease the risk for mortality,” she said.
The BGHMC said that as of Oct. 20, “the hospital has admitted a total of 338 COVID-19 cases, 259 of them have already recovered while 63 are still active cases. There were 16 deaths, three of whom were dead on arrival.”
Mayor Benjamin Magalong lauded the BGHMC medical team for the successful interventions done to save the patient.
He also extolled those in the treatment and care sector for their efforts in keeping the mortality rate in the city low.
The patient, a native of Aguinaldo, Ifugao and now resident of Irisan barangay had a negative swab test result prior to his release after 13 days of confinement from the facility.
City Health Services Officer Dr. Rowena Galpo said he is the city’s and most likely the country’s oldest person who contracted the virus and recovered from it.
The patient was diagnosed on Oct. 9 after experiencing mild symptoms and was admitted to the BGHMC because of his old age which falls under the vulnerable group.
Galpo said COVID-19 patients are declared recovered based on clinical evaluation and risk assessment by their attending physicians.
Clinical evaluation should show that the patient has no more COVID-19 signs and symptoms while risk assessment should prove favorable conditions of his home and environment upon release. – Aileen P. Refuerzo/PIO Baguio with reports from Alberto T. Cuilan lll/BGHMC Public Health Unit