Southern Leyte gov places entire province under GCQ

TACLOBAN CITY — Southern Leyte Gov. Damian Mercado issued an executive order Thursday, May 27, putting the entire province under general community quarantine (GCQ) amid a rise in COVID-19 cases.

The new quarantine status will take effect for the month of June.

As of Friday, Southern Leyte has 1,311 COVID-19 cases, 548 of which were recorded in Maasin City, its provincial capital.

On Thursday, Maasin City Mayor, Naccional Mercado, wrote a letter to Msgr. Oscar Cadayona, vicar-general of the Diocese of Maasin, demanding an explanation on photos that circulated on social media showing mass gatherings during an ordination ceremony on May 24.

The city mayor said the event could have violated health protocols.

In Catarman, Northern Samar, Bishop Emmanuel Trance reported that a facility for priests in Mondragon town, was closed down Thursday after one of its elderly priests was tested positive for COVID-19.

“The patient is now confined in a COVID facility of a hospital in Tacloban City. The Balay Padi building has already been disinfected and contact tracing is now underway,” the bishop said.

The Department of Health (DOH) reported Friday 186 new cases of COVID-19, the highest single day tally in the region for this year.

This brings to 20,479 the total cases in the region. Of the number, 906 are active cases.

“Increased mobility of the public and noncompliance of the minimum public health standards were the reasons for the increase of our COVID-19 cases in the region,” said Jelyn Malibago, DOH regional information officer.

The DOH also reported two new deaths due to COVID-19 involving a 65-year-old woman from La Paz in Leyte and a 79-year-old man from Culaba, Biliran. They both died Thursday (May 27).

The number of deaths in the region has reached 306.

LZB