Quezon town with 1st COVID-19 case in full gear to stop virus spread

LUCENA CITY –– All preventive measures were in place to stop the possible spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), after the first case was recorded in General Luna town in Quezon province.

Mayor Matt Erwin Florido said contact tracers have identified 12 persons from the villages of San Jose, San Ignacio Ibaba, Poblacion 8, and Poblacion 2, who had direct and indirect contact with the COVID-19 patient, which was recorded Tuesday.

The virus carrier, a 36-year-old female, lives in San Jose.

The mayor said a team from the Integrated Provincial Health Office would conduct swab tests to the 12 contacts.

The local government has also prepared the isolation facility for suspected virus carriers.

Florido ordered that only quarantine pass holders and those with government permits were authorized to go out of their houses for their essential needs to prevent the spread of the virus.

“There will be 24 hours curfew for unauthorized persons and 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew for all,” he stressed.

As an added safety measure, Florido again implemented a liquor ban in the locality until June 30.

Florido also suspended the use of the municipal ambulance by local residents and reserved it for COVID-19 patients.

He told indigent residents, who needed vehicles for emergency medical purposes, to rent an ambulance, which would be paid by the local government.

Florido said the COVID-19 patient was confined to a medical facility in neighboring Catanauan town and was in stable condition.

She has a business at the market of Catanauan, which has nine active virus carriers in the locality.

The mayor immediately placed San Jose under “lockdown” for an aggressive contact tracing.

On Tuesday afternoon, Florido led the distribution of relief packs to isolated villagers.

LZB