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Dinagat Islands mayor mulls border closure over Covid-19 surge

By Alexander Lopez

May 26, 2021, 5:52 pm

<p>Google map of San Jose town, Dinagat Islands province.</p>

Google map of San Jose town, Dinagat Islands province.

BUTUAN CITY – Amid the continued increase of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases in the Dinagat Islands capital of San Jose, Mayor Yngwie Hero Ecleo said he is weighing on the possibility of closing the town’s borders to contain the virus.

During Wednesday's Network Briefing News hosted by Sec. Martin M. Andanar of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), Ecleo said the border closure would allow the LGU to monitor the movement of residents more effectively.

“The local government unit (LGU) might reclose the borders to prohibit entry of non-resident to control the transmission of Covid-19,” Ecleo said.

Asked about existing measures to prevent the spread of the virus, Ecleo responded: “We implemented granular lockdowns in barangays where confirmed cases of Covid-19 are high."

The local government currently makes use of the municipal gymnasium and three schools as quarantine facilities for Covid-19 patients, he said.

As of Tuesday, San Jose has 89 active cases and four recorded deaths.

Data was released by the Dinagat Islands Provincial Inter-Agency Task Force on Wednesday showed that San Jose logged the highest number of Covid-19 cases in the province, followed by Cagdianao with 103, Basilisa 60, Loreto 42, Dinagat 27, Libjo 26, and Tubajon with nine, the record from the task force showed.

Meanwhile, the town's Rural Health Unit (RHU) also issued an advisory on Wednesday saying that three of its staff turned positive in antigen tests.

Most of the RHU staff who were in close contact with the patients were immediately placed under home quarantine.

“Starting May 26, 2021 (Wednesday), RHU San Jose will only cater to urgent and emergent cases, and the Covid-19 response, including the Covid-19 vaccination program. Non-urgent services such as medical certificates, outpatient consults, contraceptive implant procedures, and the like shall be temporarily deferred,” the advisory said.

To avoid the convergence of people during vaccination, the RHU will only cater to eight individuals per hour, particularly those listed in the A2 and A3 priority groups, the advisory added.

Meanwhile, Andanar called on Dinagat residents to follow existing health protocols and encouraged them to get vaccinated. (PNA)

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