Bicol RTC in Legazpi City on lockdown after employee contracts COVID-19

LEGAZPI CITY –– The Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 1 at the Hall of Justice building at the Regional Center site in Barangay Rawis here was placed on lockdown on Sunday after an employee tested positive for coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

City Mayor Noel Rosal, the City Interagency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) chairperson, said on Monday that the closure was ordered after the Department of Health (DOH) reported that an employee had tested positive for the viral disease.

The IATF advisory said the temporary closure took effect Sunday to give enough time for disinfection of the entire building and its premises.

The service of the RTC Branch 1 would resume once contact tracing and testing of at least ten employees assigned at the branch were completed.

Persons who transacted business with the court were advised to observe health guidelines and, if symptoms of the virus were observed, to immediately report to the City Health Office (CHO) for assessment.

A notice will be posted for the lifting of the lockdown.

The RTC Branch 1 is the sixth government office to be placed on lockdown in this city this year.

The Department of Education (DepEd) Bicol office, the Government Service Insurance System office, Pag-IBIG Fund, Legazpi City Hospital, and the DepEd Albay were also put on lockdown last year and early this year due to rising cases of COVID-19.

As of March 20, Bicol has 5,129 cases since the pandemic started last year.

Active cases are at 373, while recoveries are at 4,530. The death toll is at 226.

LZB