BACOLOD CITY –– At least 92 patients under investigation (PUIs) in Negros Occidental were tested for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Former Rep. Alfredo Benitez, now a volunteer in the fight against the SARS-CoV2 virus, said the Negros Occidental provincial government has sent a team to conduct COVID-19 tests in 53 “hot zones” in 24 towns and cities of the province.
An area is declared under extreme community quarantine or a hot zone if it has one person who tested positive for COVID-19, a PUI, or at least five persons under monitoring (PUMs).
Residents living within an identified hot zone are not allowed to leave their homes for 14 days as mandated by Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson.
Since authorities have difficulty convincing PUIs to transfer to the Yolanda Housing Project in EB Magalona town, Benitez said they were sending health workers to where they were to get swab specimens for COVID-19 testing.
“The provincial government will ensure that all PUIs in Negros Occidental are tested,” he added.