Sulu province, considered a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) low-risk province in Mindanao, posted its first case of the dreaded disease, health officials verified on Friday.

The patient was a 63-year-old man who died on April 19 at the Sulu Sanitarium Hospital, Nadine Jubaira, executive director for the Sulu Area Coordinating Center, said.

His COVID-19 test results only arrived on Thursday, two weeks after testing, which came out positive.

The patient had no travel history and unknown history of exposure.

Health officials have already conducted contact tracing to control the spread of the disease. His family members have been put in an isolation facility, according to Jubaira. (RJ Espartinez)