COVID-19 death of worker prompts closure of Bacolod market section

BACOLOD CITY—The fish and vegetable section of the Food Terminal Market of Negros Occidental in this city has been closed to the public after a 45-year-old worker in the facility died of COVID-19.

Rayfrando Diaz, provincial administrator, said at last 20 workers and guards in the market had been given coronavirus tests and had been isolated.

Lucille Gelvolea, head of the provincial government’s Economic Enterprise Development Department, said the fatality did not show any symptoms of COVID-19 but collapsed at home last Sunday (Nov. 22).

According to his family, the market worker was admitted at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital and went into a coma prior to his death on Monday (Nov. 23).

The worker was immediately cremated while members of his family who live on Cordova Street in Bacolod were being monitored.

Fish vending has been allowed at the North Capitol Road side of the market to cushion the economic impact of COVID-19 on vendors.

Vegetables were also being sold in the area under the “Negrense: Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita” program of the Department of Agriculture, Office of the Provincial Agriculturist and the Multi-Sectoral Alliance for Development, Gelvolea said.

Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said the provincial government would find ways to help the family of the COVID-19 fatality.

“His death is a reminder that COVID-19 is still around and while there is talk of a vaccine it will be some time before it becomes available in the country,” he said.

Edited by TSB