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Balanga City exec succumbs to Covid-19

By Ernie Esconde

March 29, 2020, 8:10 pm

<p><strong>COVID-19 VICTIM</strong>. Rudy de Mesa, city administrator of Balanga City in Bataan, died due to the new coronavirus disease based on the test result from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine released on Sunday (March 29, 2020). De Mesa, a former provincial administrator of Bataan, died last Friday at a hospital in Pampanga.<em> (Photo courtesy of 1 Bataan)</em></p>

COVID-19 VICTIM. Rudy de Mesa, city administrator of Balanga City in Bataan, died due to the new coronavirus disease based on the test result from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine released on Sunday (March 29, 2020). De Mesa, a former provincial administrator of Bataan, died last Friday at a hospital in Pampanga. (Photo courtesy of 1 Bataan)

BALANGA CITY, Bataan — This city’s administrator died of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) based on the test result from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) released on Sunday.

Governor Albert Garcia, chair of the Bataan Inter-Agency Task Force on Covid–19, announced that the laboratory test of city administrator Rudy de Mesa, 57, who died Friday, showed he was positive for the virus.

De Mesa, also former provincial administrator, was admitted to a local hospital last Monday due to fever, cough and breathing difficulty.

He had comorbidity and was considered under the status “severe person under investigation”, the governor said.

The administrator died Friday afternoon at a hospital in San Fernando City, Pampanga.

Garcia said one of de Mesa’s city hall co-employees who was hospitalized Thursday was also found positive for Covid–19.

“Because of this, we are asking all those who came in contact with Kuya Rudy to undergo self-quarantine. If they are not feeling well, please immediately consult the nearest clinic or hospital,” the governor said.

Co-workers said their administrator had a history of travel to Manila and might have gotten the disease there.

Garcia said contact tracing is ongoing.

"Please continue to stay at home, practice social distancing and take care of your health,” Garcia said. (PNA)

 

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