Mt Prov PCTF to folks: Follow health rules

BONTOC, Mountain Province -- The provincial Covid-19 task force (PCTF)  urged the public   to observe  health and safety protocols as  the  province remains under modified community quarantine with its first Covid case recorded.

PCTF head Gov. Bonifacio Lacwasan said measures must be implemented to mitigate spread of the disease in case of an infection, considering  that many of the  province’s  residents  stranded elsewhere during the  lockdown and  returning overseas workers are now  coming home. 

The first Covid-19 case in the province was recorded on June 16, or three months after the Enhanced Community Quarantine was declared in Luzon to prevent spread of Covid-19. 

The 19- year- old male from Suquib, Besao was infected by a police officer, a relative who went home on official mission on June 6.

The patient was admitted at the Luis Hora Regional Memorial Hospital and in stable condition.

PCTF members said chances of transmission will be much lesser if everyone will abide with minimum health protocols particularly on wearing of mask, social distancing, and going through triage among others, aside from following IATF-EID guidelines.

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office is still maintaining    quarantine control points along provincial borders where incoming travelers are checked.

Failure to honestly declare one’s point of origin and giving of misleading information will be ground for filing of charges against irresponsible travelers.

Neighboring provinces who had confirmed Covid-19 confirmed cases involved returning overseas Filipinos who have been tested negative, and   locally stranded individuals from areas with positive cases.

The PCTF tasked the focal person for OFW concerns to coordinate with the Baguio City government for the ROFs of the province to complete their 14-day quarantine at Teachers’ Camp quarantine facility in Baguio City before the provincial government will ferry them home to the province. LSIs are required to undergo 14-day quarantine.

The province is also priming its contact tracing capacity with the software being used by the City Government of Baguio, which is considered as a model in Covid-19 contact tracing in the country. --PIA Mt Province