SAN JOSE, Antique – The confirmation of Antique’s first coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) case has made municipal mayors anxious.
They would like the enhanced community quarantine extended, according to Libertad town mayor Mary Jean Te, president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines – Antique chapter.
Today, April 9, the municipality of Pandan confirmed recording its first case of COVID-19, the province’s second in just two days.
The first case, recorded on April 7, was in the island municipality of Caluya.
Antique has 18 municipalities. Its province-wide enhanced community quarantine is ending on April 14.
Te said the mayors wanted it extended up to the end of April.
“Most mayors share the same view,” she said.
A 69-year-old male from Pandan is Antique’s second COVID-19 case. As this is being written, he is confined at a hospital, according to the Department of Health (DOH) Region 6.
The Pandan case is Western Visayas’ 39th COVID-19 case.
A resident of Parañaque City, Metro Manila was the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Antique.
The patient, a 74-year-old male, was believed to be a subcontractor of the Semirara Mining and Power Corp. (SMPC) in Semirara Island in the island municipality of Caluya.
SMPC operates a coal mine in Semirara Island.
Caluya’s Mayor Rigil Kent Lim lost no time ordering the lockdown of Semirara Island.
Antique imposed border restrictions beginning March 17 and the enhanced community quarantine beginning March 22./PN
