DISINFECTION. Personnel of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) disinfect the ground floor hallway of the old Bacolod City Hall on July 21, 2020. On Monday (July 27, 2020) the four-story building was locked down after several more employees of the General Services Office occupying the third floor tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019. (Photo courtesy of Bacolod City DRRMO)
BACOLOD CITY – Residents of Bacolod were restricted from entering the premises of the old City Hall starting Monday for further fumigation of the four-story building located in the downtown area.
Mayor Evelio Leonardia ordered the lockdown to remain until further notice after several employees occupying the building were infected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
“This shall allow the city to perform further disinfection of the building and to avoid the spread of the disease while we perform contract tracing procedures. We appeal for understanding and cooperation,” an advisory from the city government said.
As of Sunday night, Bacolod has 150 confirmed Covid-19 cases.
The old city hall was first fumigated on the afternoon of July 21 after it was confirmed that an employee of the General Services Office (GSO), which occupies the third floor of the building, tested positive for Covid-19.
The infected employee was listed as Patient No. 89.
In the succeeding days, additional results showed that several more GSO employees also tested positive for the virus.
On July 22, the operations of the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC) were also suspended for disinfection.
It was confirmed that Patient No. 89 also had an exposure in the area when he came to process some papers.
Aside from the GSO, other offices occupying the old City Hall include the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, City Veterinary Office, City Mayor’s Office (CMO)-Sectoral Office, Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs, City Treasurer’s Office- Licensing Division Satellite Office, City Cooperative and Livelihood Development Office and the Bacolod Showroom, Bacolod City Government Employees Multi-Purpose Cooperative, CMO- Printing Office, and Public Order and Safety Office Desk.
Local offices of national government agencies such as the Philippine National Police-Provincial Internal Affairs Services, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, and Commission on Audit also occupy the building. (PNA)
