NO ENTRY. Police officers guard the major thoroughfares of Barangay 1 San Lorenzo, Laoag City on New Year's Eve (Dec. 31, 2020). The entire village was placed under ECQ for 14 days starting New Year's Day. (Photo by Leilanie Adriano)
LAOAG CITY – Residents of Barangay 1 San Lorenzo in this city is greeting the New Year trapped in their homes as lockdown in the village took effect on Friday, due to the surge in coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases.
Mayor Michael Keon made the announcement on New Year's Eve as he placed the entire San Lorenzo village under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) after 22 more butchers at the city slaughterhouse tested positive for Covid-19.
Located at the heart of the city, those who need to cross the village borders must show a valid identification card or certificate of employment and work schedule or take the alternate route to reach their destinations.
On Dec. 29, a 68-year old male butcher from Sitio Maharlika in San Lorenzo along with two other butchers from Barangays 17 and 57 were infected with the virus, hence the need to impose a localized lockdown in their place of residence including a radius of six meters therefrom to prevent the spread of the virus and to facilitate contact tracing purposes.
A day later, 22 more butchers who are mostly family members and relatives in San Lorenzo village were also infected based on swab test results.
In his public statement, Keon appealed to all residents to understand and cooperate with health authorities from the City Health Office to speed up the process of contact tracing.
The mayor likewise imposed curfew hours and a liquor ban from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
All residents are covered except authorized persons outside residence such as health and hospital workers, barangay, city, and provincial officials, personnel of the Philippine National Police and the Bureau of Fire Protection, and other essential workers who are required to report to work during curfew hours.
Other sub-villages in Laoag with confirmed positive Covid-19 cases were also barricaded with increase police visibility while contract tracing is ongoing.
As of Friday, Ilocos Norte has recorded 52 active cases out of the 511 cases with 456 recoveries and three deaths.
This city continues to have the biggest number of active cases at 41, with 283 recoveries and no death.
Residents were earlier told to celebrate New Year’s Eve at home but some still organized home parties together with close family and friends. (PNA)
