All of the Bohol-based “first-generation” contacts of the two Boholano medical technologists who tested positive for COVID-19 while in Cebu have yielded negative results in polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, a health official said on Monday morning.

“Salamat sa Ginoo, adto pang weekend nakuha nato ang results, and negative silang tanan,” said Dr. Mutya Kismet Macuno, chief of doctors of the Governor Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital (GCGMH) which deployed the two medical technologists to Cebu City on May 10 for a training.  

Macuno noted that those tested were “first generation” contacts who were mostly the family members of the two medical technologists and were in contact with them while they were still in Bohol.

She however did not divulge as to how many persons were tested based on their contact-tracing.

According to Macuno, the test results backed her belief that the two medical technologists contracted the disease in Cebu City, not in Bohol.

Meanwhile, the two medical technologists who arrived in Cebu City on May 10 were still quarantined in the COVID 19-stricken city.

They remained healthy and asymptomatic.

“Salamat sa Ginoo, nanambok sila…asymptomatic gihapon,” said Macuno.

The two GCGMH health workers were on a vital assignment to undergo training on how to handle COVID-19 testing.

Completion of their training was among prerequisites set by the Department of Health for the GCGMH to be approved to run a molecular laboratory testing center for COVID-19.

Macuno earlier noted that both completed their training before they tested positive for the highly contagious disease. (R. Tutas)