(Photo from Municipality of Bontoc, photo taken by Sir Ross A. Kiat-ong)
MANILA, Philippines — The municipality f Bontoc in Mountain Province may extend the localized lockdown it imposed on several villages due to the new Covid-19 variant beyond January 31, Mayor Franklin Odsey said Monday.
Odsey said the localized lockdown may be extended if the tracing of the new Covid-19 variant cases’ close contacts remains unfinished by the end of the month.
“If the contact tracers who are now in our municipality will not be able to finish their contact tracing, then we will extend the lockdown,” Odsey said in a televised briefing.
Samoki, Bontoc Ilim, Caluttit and Poblacion villages in Bontoc are under localized lockdown until January 31.
Twelve residents of Bontoc were among the reported cases of the B.1.1.7 variant said to be more contagious than the previous Covid-19 variant.
Out of the 12, Odsey said two are still in the hospital, three are under home quarantine, six have been discharged and are under home quarantine and one is about to be discharged from the hospital.
Odsey himself tested positive for the coronavirus and is under isolation.
He said he cannot determine if his case is the first Covid-19 variant or the new variant.