(Photo courtesy of PIO Negros Occidental)
BACOLOD CITY – Offices at the Negros Occidental Provincial Capitol in this city were closed for decontamination on Monday after Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson and at least 21 employees tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in the past week.
Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer, who now sits as acting governor, said some 13 departments and offices, which comprise almost the entire Capitol, have confirmed Covid-19 cases.
“We decided, together with Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II, to close the Provincial Capitol for disinfection to stop or minimize the spread of the infection,” he said in an interview.
In a memorandum order, Ferrer said aside from the Governor’s Office, with one case, also those with confirmed cases are the Provincial Planning and Development Office and Provincial Legal Office, four each; and Provincial Treasurer’s Office and Provincial Health Office, two each.
The eight other identified offices have one case each.
He added the Provincial Health Office has also observed that numerous employees have been exhibiting Covid-19 symptoms and recommended their immediate isolation, considering that most of them live in Bacolod City, which currently has a high number of positive cases.
Ferrer said from January 24 to 28, there will be limited operations at the Provincial Capitol and all departments and offices will maintain a skeleton workforce to ensure the delivery of basic services.
However, provincial government-run hospitals and offices, particularly those involved in disaster response and health services, will be fully operational, he added.
Meanwhile, Diaz said Lacson’s three-day health break which started last January 21, which was the doctor’s advice after he exhibited symptoms, has been extended to 10 days when his reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test yielded a positive result on January 22.
Prior to his positive RT-PCR test result, Lacson tested negative in a rapid antigen test.
Diaz earlier said the governor had a sore throat, following his travel for official functions in the southern part of the province. (PNA)
