LEGAZPI CITY—Persons without symptoms but being watched for COVID-19 in Jose Panganiban town, Camarines Norte province would be isolated on an island starting on Tuesday (March 31) to prevent transmission.
Joshua del Pilar, public information officer, said the Calalanay Island will serve as a quarantine camp for at least 50 persons under monitoring (PUM).
The island is accessible by a 40-minute boat ride from the town center.
Del Pilar said priority would be given to 40 PUM, who walked from Metro Manila to reach home when all public transportation was suspended to enforce President Rodrigo Duterte’s enhanced community quarantine for the entire Luzon island.
The 40 PUM were temporarily quarantined at the village of Tabugon, Sta. Elena town and Tuaca in Basud town.
The Camarines Norte provincial government has been requiring all residents, who arrived from Metro Manila, to go on a 14-day quarantine.
The PUM’s basic needs would be provided by the provincial government, said Del Pilar.
The provincial government has prepared huts, tents, generator sets, portable toilets and cooking areas on the island that would be used for quarantine.
Del Pilar said the PUM would be in a setting similar to the popular survival reality series “Survivor” and be allowed to exercise using zumba moves and cook their own food.
“It’s our way for them not to feel that they are discriminated while under quarantine and isolation,” Del Pilar said.
Employees of the municipal health office stationed on the island would monitor the patients. The town of Jose Panganiban has 460 PUM on quarantine.