BASCO, Batanes (PIA) --The newly recorded active case of Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) in this island province is a returning resident,  the provincial government confirmed. 

Justine Socito, provincial information officer, said the 16th confirmed case is a 33-year-old female who arrived in the province on August 9, 2021, together with her husband and three children.

The whole family was initially brought to a quarantine facility provided by the provincial government in compliance to the 14-day mandatory quarantine of all arriving individuals in the province.

On August 15,  they were all transferred to the Batanes Resort, which is the Temporary Treatment and Management Facility of the provincial government for symptomatic individuals, after one of her children experienced symptoms of the disease. 

Socito said due to the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) status of Tuguegarao City where specimen samples are brought for RT-PCR test confirmation, the family's specimen samples were only sent on August 24.

The result of the tests was released on August 27 and it showed that 33-year-old female was positive for COVID while her other family members tested negative.

"The family is still at the isolation facility. They are all asymptomatic including the positive patient. They are all in good condition," Socito said. 

Batanes has already recorded 16 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in which the first 15 cases have already recovered. (OTB/With reports from Christine Barbosa/PIA Batanes)