Surigao del Norte Governor Francisco T. Matugas. (Photo courtesy of the Surigao del Norte Tourism and Culture Office)
BUTUAN CITY – Surigao del Norte Governor Francisco T. Matugas has raised the possibility of placing the entire province of Surigao del Norte under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECG) should the rise in its coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases continue.
In a public advisory issued Friday, Matugas expressed alarm over the continued increase in Covid-19 cases in the province in recent weeks.
“Due to the rapidly increasing Covid-19 cases in our province, the Provincial Inter-Agency Task Force (addressing the outbreak) is now seeing a surge of the aforementioned deadly virus,” he said.
Matugas warned that if Covid-19 cases continue to rise within one week, he would be constrained to place the entire province under MECQ.
He also reminded residents and visitors of Surigao del Norte to adhere to existing health protocols.
“Those who will be caught for not following any of the health protocols shall be apprehended and prosecuted in accordance with the existing local ordinances and national laws,” Matugas said.
As of Saturday, the Department of Health (DOH) 13 (Caraga) reported 11 new infections in Surigao del Norte and 20 in Surigao City.
Surigao del Norte has a total of 835 Covid-19 cases since the pandemic began last year, with Surigao City registering 634 cases. (PNA)
