Despite zero cases, Eastern Samar governor asks for GCQ extension until end of May

TACLOBAN CITY — Eastern Samar does not have a single case of the new coronavirus (COVID-19) but Gov. Ben Evardone doesn’t want to be complacent.

Evardone has requested the National Task Force (NTF) COVID-19 to extend until the end of May the general community quarantine (GCQ) in the province.

In his April 30 letter addressed to both Defense Sec. Delfin Lorenzana, national chairman of the task force, and Health Secretary Francisco Duque, who chairs inter-agency task force for the management of emerging infectious diseases, Evardone said the extension is aimed to help them prepare for the return of their province mates under the “Balik Probinsiya” program being pushed by the national government.

“Our local health authorities have pointed out that the proposed extension will allow our 23 component local government units to prepare their respective isolation facilities and will provide more time for the increased testing capacity of Eastern Samar,” the governor said in his request.

“In order to protect our province from the possible entry of COVID-19 to our borders, we deem it necessary to continue enforcing GCQ measures in our jurisdiction until the threat of mass infection is abated,” he added.

Evardone earlier signed an executive order extending the GCQ in Eastern Samar until May 15.

At present, Eastern Samar remains to be among the three provinces in Eastern Visayas that remain to be without any case of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

The other two provinces are Biliran and Southern Leyte. The provinces of Samar has 10 COVID-19 cases, Leyte has two, while Northern Samar has one.