BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson of Negros Occidental is self-isolating.
A utility worker in his office and at the Provincial Administrator’s Office tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
“The governor isolated himself until the contact tracing in his office is completed. We have to protect our governor,” said Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz.
He assured Negrenses that Lacson remains in good health.
“He is not sick and he would like to ensure the safety of everyone,” Diaz said.
The utility employee, according to Diaz, was a job order casual. He was not able to report to work these past four days.
After exhibiting symptoms of the infectious disease, he was made to undergo reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction test (RT-PCR) and the result came out on Friday morning.
“We hope he has not infected anyone at the Governor’s Office and the Provincial Administrator’ s Office,” Diaz said.
He also revealed that Provincial Board member Samson Mirhan of the 2nd District is doing well now after testing positive for COVID-19 several days ago.
Mirhan got the infection from his mother who recently died of COVID-19.
Diaz said some of the Provincial Board members also submitted themselves to RT-PCR test and got negative results.
The South Wing of the capitol building has been closed since Tuesday afternoon after a technical assistant of a Provincial Board member also tested positive of COVID-19.
Diaz said for already two Fridays yesterday, the capitol has been closed after Lacson ordered a four-day workweek. But he said the governor including himself and the frontliners have been working 24/7 in this time of the pandemic.
Disinfection will be conducted at the capitol, Diaz said./PN
