SIQUIJOR, Aug. 5 (PIA) -- The Provincial Government of Siquijor will be stricter in its implementation of health protocols following the entry of two locally stranded individuals (LSIs) from Manila who tested positive for COVID-19.
Alarmed over the turn of events despite the provincial government's efforts and stringent implementation of health protocols since the start of the pandemic, Gov. Zaldy Villa in his official statement called for understanding as he made it clear that they are not local transmission.
Siquijor province has been known to be free of the virus for the first seven months.
He assured that the medical personnel and other frontliners are doing their best in implementing the necessary measures to contain the virus and stop its spread to other Siquijodnons while asking for concerted efforts, prayers, and understanding to the affected individuals, as well as the medical and other frontliners.
“Among gikasubo nga naay nakasulod nga COVID-19 positive sa atong isla, bisan pa man sa atong paningkamot sa hugot nga pagpatuman sa health protocols (We are saddened that we have two COVID-19 positive Siquijodnons who have entered the province despite our efforts and strict implementation of our health protocols)," the governor said.
The two LSIs from the towns of Larena and Lazi arrived from Manila using only the negative results of their Rapid Diagnostics Tests (RDT).
The two positive cases and the six other passengers known to be in contact with them were in the provincial isolation and under close monitoring with swab tests conducted of which the results were negative, said Provincial Health Officer Jemma Masillones Fortich.
In an emergency meeting on Aug. 3, the Provincial COVID-19 Task Force agreed to make a resolution requesting for a moratorium from the national/regional Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on the management of LSIs following the Provincial IATF’s plan to suspend for at least two weeks the acceptance of returning LSIs while managing the current COVID-19 positive cases.
As of Aug. 3, the Provincial Task Force thru the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) has recorded a total of 1,268 arrivals in the province, of whom 693 are LSIs, 292 are medical personnel, 167 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), and 116 Authorized Persons Outside Residence (APOR).
The province also recorded 886 more Siquijodnons from different parts of the country wanting to return to Siquijor amid this pandemic, the PDRRMO report said.
Of this number, 95 are from Negros, 447 from Cebu, 49 from Bohol, 151 from Manila, 20 from other parts of Luzon, 17 from other parts of Visayas, and 107 from Mindanao. (rac/PIA7-Siquijor)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
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