SWABBING. The rural health unit of Calinog in Iloilo conducts swab tests on workers of the Daewoo Engineering and Construction firm in Barangay Agcalaga on Thursday (April 15, 2021). The rise in Covid-19 cases in the town prompted adjacent Lambunao to impose border restrictions effective April 19. (Photo courtesy of Bayan ng Calinog Facebook)
ILOILO CITY – The municipality of Lambunao will strictly enforce border restrictions starting Monday to manage the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) as a construction firm in adjacent Calinog town recorded 42 cases.
“In order to manage the spread of Covid-19 in the municipality of Lambunao, there is a need for a strict enforcement of border restrictions and checkpoints in the boundaries of the municipality of Lambunao and the municipality of Calinog from April 19 to April 29, 2021,” Executive Order (EO) number 23, signed by Mayor Reynor Gonzales on April 16 read.
Checkpoints will be established in the entry points of Lambunao, particularly in barangays Maribong, Buwang, Malag-it, Alugmawa and Cabunlawan.
The EO also prohibits Calinog-based public utility vehicles from loading and unloading their passengers at any point of Lambunao, including the public transport terminal, while tricycles could not enter the borders.
Private vehicles, however, are allowed to pass through but they could not stop at any point of Lambunao. They are also advised to observe minimum health protocols.
“Transport groups based in the municipality of Lambunao shall augment to provide public transport services from Barangay Maribong to Iloilo City,” the EO said.
Some residents of Lambunao can cross the border to work or run personal errands in Calinog but will not be able to return until the border restriction is lifted.
To help in the contact tracing, the town urged its residents working at the Daewoo Engineering and Construction Co., Ltd. in Calinog to get in touch with the municipal health office.
On April 15, Calinog stopped Daewoo’s operations and closed its office in Barangay Agcalaga for contract tracing and mass swabbing.
The day after, 15 new cases were added to the 27 confirmed Covid-19 cases in the firm, bringing the firm’s active cases to 42.
Of the 146 cumulative cases in Calinog, 59 are active cases, three have died, and the rest have recovered.
Lambunao, based on the April 15 bulletin of the Iloilo Provincial Health Office, has four active cases out of its 111 total, five deaths, and 102 recoveries. (PNA)
