ILOILO – The municipal mayor of Igbaras is urging all his constituents to strictly observe home quarantine for now. The town just logged 17 confirmed cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
There is a possibility of local transmission, according to Mayor Jaime Esmeralda.
The new infections were revealed on Good Friday, April 2. Twelve were elementary co-teachers of the index case; four were the index case’s classmates; and one was a close contact of a priest in Miag-ao town who recently succumbed to COVID-19.
The new cases – all asymptomatic – were placed under strict home quarantine, said Esmeralda.
These cases came about following a thorough contact tracing conducted by the Municipal Health Office, the mayor told Panay News.
A teacher initially contracted the viral disease.
“Upod na sila tanan sang index case sa isa ka school. Upod sila tanan nagakaon so daku ang tsansa nga malatnan sila,” he added.
Some 42 close contacts of the index case underwent reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test on April 1.
With the latest infections, a total of 136 were subsequently identified as close contacts. They were swabbed yesterday. Results are expected today.
The municipal government of Igbaras is enforcing these protocols to curb the coronavirus transmission:
* curfew from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
* all residents below 18 and above 60 years old shall remain at home
* closure of all business establishments except for those with essential items sold
* market will have a “one exit, one entrance” policy
* stricter compliance to minimum health protocol
* no gambling and alcohol drinking
* no wake visits
* only one person is encouraged to go out (those with essential transactions)
* no non-residents ambulant and market vendors
* closure of all resorts and tourist destinations
* no mass gatherings
According to Esmeralda, it was better for everybody to observe home quarantine because they have yet to determine the source of infection of the index case “kay wala man ini pagkadto sa Iloilo City ukon kon diin nga mga lugar.”
As this was being written, Igbaras had 53 total confirmed COVID-19 cases –18 were active, 33 recoveries and two deaths./PN
