Agusan del Norte governor Dale B. Corvera, chairman of the Regional Task Force on Covid-19 One Caraga Shield. (PNA photo by Alexander Lopez)
BUTUAN CITY – The Regional Task Force on Covid-19-One Caraga Shield (RTF-COCS) passed a resolution Friday requesting the national Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) that locally stranded individuals (LSIs) be subjected first to mandatory coronavirus disease Covid-19) test before they are allowed to return home.
The request--agreed by RTF-COCS members during a regular meeting presided over by Agusan del Norte Governor Dale Corvera-- came amid the scheduled return of 141 LSIs in Caraga from Manila and other parts of the country on July 10.
The 141 LSIs were supposed to return on June 27 but it was temporarily halted through a request by the regional task force, citing the increasing Covid-19 cases in the region.
Of the 141 LSIs, 14 are from Agusan del Norte, 61 in Agusan del Sur, 27 in Surigao del Norte, eight in the Province of Dinagat Islands, 14 in Surigao del Sur, and 17 are from Butuan City.
The province of Agusan del Norte and Butuan City are currently classified under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) with strict local action, while the rest of the provinces in Caraga are now under MGCQ.
33 Butuan villages under MECQ
In the same meeting Friday, RTF-COCS also approved the request of the Bituan City government to place the 33 areas in the city under the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).
Butuan Mayor Ronnie Vicente Lagnada issued Executive Order No. 38 Friday extending the city under MGCQ and the 33 barangays under MECQ from July 4 until July 15.
The 33 barangays include Agao, Agusan Pequeño, Ambago, Baan KM. 3, Baan Riverside, Bading, Bayanihan, Buhangin, Dagohoy, Diego Silang, Doongan, Dumalagan, Fort Poyohon, Golden Ribbon, Holy Redeemer, Humabon, Imadejas, J. P. Rizal, Lapu-Lapu, Leon Kilat, Libertad, Limaha, New Society Village, Obrero, Ong Yiu, Rajah Soliman, San Ignacio, San Vicente, Sikatuna, Silongan, Tandang Sora, Urduja, and Villa Kanangga.
“The number of suspected cases in Butuan City continues to rise, and such cases are scattered among its barangays, thereby placing much strain on the contact-tracing efforts of our health workers,” Lagnada said in the order.
Most of the public establishments such as markets and malls frequented by residents are situated in the 33 barangays.
As of July 3, Butuan City has 36 confirmed Covid-19 cases, with 15 recoveries and zero death. (PNA)
