BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – Residents of San Carlos City in Negros Occidental concealing information about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients could face sanctions.
Any person violating Republic Act (RA) No. 11332 (Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act) will be held accountable, said Dr. Wilmer Yap, Sangguniang Panlungsod member and Emergency Operations Center (EOC) incident commander.
During a meeting of EOC officials, Yap expressed alarm over reports about individuals deliberately withholding information of their exposure to COVID-19 patients.
Yap reiterated that withholding information could lead to the further spread of the viral disease.
“We are in the state of pandemic, a public health emergency. The information we provide should be truthful and accurate because these information are used to prevent the further spread of the outbreak,” Yap said.
Among the prohibited acts under Section 9 of RA 11332 are “tampering of records or intentionally providing misinformation” and “non-cooperation of the person or entities identified as having the notifiable disease, or affected by the health event of public concern.”
Disclosure of untruthful data in the case investigation form is among the prohibited acts, the CLO said.
Violators shall be penalized with a fine ranging from P20,000 to P50,000, or imprisonment of not less than one month but not more than six months, or both, at the court’s discretion.
As of Nov. 24, San Carlos recorded a total of 364 COVID-19 cases – 48 were active, 293 recovered and 23 died./PN
