Ecija town hall on lockdown until April 16 as COVID-19 cases climb

PEÑARANDA, Nueva Ecija – The Peñaranda municipal hall and local health office have been locked down until April 16 due to the coronavirus surge last week.

Mayor Joselito Ramos opted for the temporary closure of the town hall and its rural health unit (RHU) from the afternoon of April 8 to April 16, “in view of the rising number of municipal employees who contracted the COVID-19 virus.”

Ramos said the municipal health office recommended the week-long lockdown to accommodate mandatory contact tracing and disinfection.

As of Friday, Peñaranda recorded 28 active cases of which 20 are under strict home quarantine. Five patients are confined at local hospitals and three are in isolation at a temporary treatment and monitoring facility.

Aside from these cases, two residents have reportedly died from the virus while undergoing hospital treatment, according to the Peñaranda information office in a social media post.

“Patuloy pong ipagdasal po ang ating mga kababayan lalot higit ang mga sumakabilang-buhay dahil sa sakit na ito (We continue to pray for our residents, particularly those who have passed away because of this disease),” the information office said.

“Ang mga kaso natin ay nakukuha sa trabaho at sa paglabas nang di naman kailangan. Mabilis mahawa ng isang positibo ang kanyang katrabaho at kapamilya (Our cases are transmitted at the workplace and when we go out when it is not needed. It is easy for our co-workers and family to catch the virus), it says. ARMAND GALANG

CFC

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