ILOILO – The recent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission at a construction facility in Calinog town prompted aggressive contact tracing activities.
Daewoo Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd., contractor of the P11.2-billion Jalaur River Multipurpose Project – Stage II (JRMP II), was locked down after 26 personnel tested positive for COVID-19.
Mayor Francisco Calvo yesterday ordered the temporary closure of the facility “effective April 15 until April 28 or until further notice.”
Its first infection – a Korean employee – was detected on April 13, the mayor noted.
The said staff is planning to return to his home country. He underwent reverse transcription-polymerase reaction (RT-PCR) test at a private hospital in Iloilo City where he knew of his result.
A massive contact tracing by the Municipal Health Office (MHO) followed.
“And on April 14, a total of 56 close contacts were swabbed and rendered 25 positive cases – 12 Koreans and 13 other Filipino staff,” Calvo told Panay News.
Most of the COVID-hit individuals exhibit mild symptoms.
“It is feared that given their daily activity, transmission has been ongoing for some time now,” Calvo said.
The mayor also ordered that all entry points towards the Daewoo office be closed.
“This will include those located in barangays Alibunan, Banban Pequeño and Agcalaga,” he said.
The MHO started swabbing more or less 400 possible close contacts yesterday.
The mayor also noted that the number may increase should these close contacts yield positive RT-PCR test results.
Despite Daewoo’s temporary closure, Calvo clarified that the mega dam’s construction won’t be hampered as there were other private counterparts helping in the project.
As of April 14, Calinog had 103 total confirmed coronavirus cases – 19 active, 81 recovered and three dead./PN
