Quezon town hall closed after employees contract COVID-19

LUCENA CITY – The municipal hall in the coastal town of General Luna in Quezon province has temporarily closed its doors Monday after some of its employees contracted the new coronavirus (COVID-19).

In a public advisory on social media early Monday, the local government announced the temporary suspension of all transactions at the town hall as it ordered all workers and employees not to report to work.

“Ito po ay matapos nating mabatid na mayroon po tayong ilang empleyado na nagpositibo sa Covid-19 (This is after we were informed that we have some employees who tested positive for COVID-19),” the local authorities said. The local government did not clarify how many of its employees got infected with the virus.

Aggressive contact tracing is now ongoing along with thorough disinfection of the municipal hall for the safety of the public and employees.

The authorities said it will make a public announcement on the reopening of the municipal building.
In its 5 p.m. bulletin on Sunday, the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) disclosed that General Luna logged a total of 19 COVID-19 cases since the pandemic erupted early March.

At least nine of the cases remained active. The town, located in the province’s Bondoc Peninsula district facing Tayabas Bay, recorded 10 recoveries.

As of Sunday, Quezon, which remains under the modified general community quarantine status, recorded a total of 4,990 COVID-19 cases, 921 of which remained active. The province recorded 3,928 recoveries.

The death toll from COVID-19 in the province rose to 141 after two more patients in Candelaria town died Saturday.

EDV