ILOILO – The municipal hall of Bingawan town is on lockdown. Five employees tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
The lockdown takes effect today and will run until Wednesday, March 24, according to Mayor Mark Palabrica.
Yesterday, the local chief executive issued a memorandum suspending office work.
“All municipal employees, except those rendering emergency response and health services, are advised to work from home but shall keep communication lines open,” Palabrica said.
A personnel from the national government assigned in Bingawan also tested positive for the virus.
The lockdown aims to facilitate disinfection and contact tracing.
Also on lockdown are the Bingawan Gym, Legislative (Sangguniang Bayan) Building, Municipal Social Welfare Office, Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) Building, Liga ng mga Barangay Office, and Senior Citizens’ Building.
“We have also locked down the households of our COVID-19 cases, as well as their high-risk close contacts while conducting RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) tests and contact tracing,” Palabrica added.
The mayor, however, clarified that the Rural Health Unit will remain operational “to render health services except medical check-up and laboratory examinations.”
All LGU meetings and activities, including the flag ceremony every Monday and Friday, are also suspended until further notice.
Palabrica ordered, too, the town’s police force to help enforce the lockdown and man checkpoints.
“Remain calm and stay safe at home. Let us not discriminate those who tested positive, instead include them in our prayers. Let us do our part to stop the spread of COVID-19. Wear facemask properly, observe social distancing and always wash your hands,” Palabrica urged the public./PN
