Negros Occidental board member, 5 front liners test positive for COVID-19

BACOLOD CITY — A Negros Occidental board member and five members of the Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (DRRMO) in Bago City tested positive for the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Board Member Samson Mirhan contracted the virus, according to Cadiz Mayor Salvador Escalante.

Mirhan could not be reached for comment as of press time.

Five members of the Bago DRRMO, who were swabbed along with other frontliners during the “timeout weekend,” also tested positive.

Dr. Merijene Ortizo, Bago DRRMO head, said the frontliners who tested positive were three nurses who serve as emergency medical providers, a bus helper who helps in the transport of locally stranded individuals and returning overseas workers, and a utility man tasked with COVID-19 decontamination work.

Ortizo said 51 of the 61 DRRMO personnel of the city were close contacts of the five.

Although the 51 tested negative during the mass testing, they have been quarantined until second tests can be conducted.

She said only she and four other members of the DRRMO did not have any contact with those who tested positive.

The Bago City Incident Management Team has taken over the work of the quarantined DRRMO personnel.

The Department of Health on Thursday reported that Bacolod has 59 new COVID-19 cases while Negros Occidental has 28.

This brings to 1,403 the total COVID-19 cases in Bacolod and 1,261 in Negros Occidental.

LZB