Covid infects Ilagan City’s first family

ILAGAN, Isabela: City Mayor Josemarie Diaz and two of his family members have been CONfiRMED TO HAVE CONTRACTED THE CORONAVIRUS DISEASE 2019 (COVID-19) AND HAVE BEEN UNDER HOME QUARANTINE AT THEIR RESIDENCE IN CALAMAGUI 1st in this city.

Diaz has issued the two-page Executive Order 54, declaring the “entire City of Ilagan, Isabela under the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) from August 6 to 12 due to the coronavirus local transmission and an intensive contact-tracing must be done.“

Aside from the mayor, his wife Evelyn, the former mayor and incumbent city sectoral representative for women, and his son, incumbent city councilor Jay Eveson Diaz, were also confirmed positive of the virus.

The seven-day quarantine and contact tracing are the measures “necessary to contain the further transmission of the virus, as a complete cycle prescribed under the health protocols,” he added in his order.

The mayor noted in his order the “continuing increase of Covid-19 cases have been reported in the city for the past days confirming the local transmission detected by the City Epidemiology and Surveillance Office in some of the city’s villages.“

Diaz said it was “unfortunate” that he and his family members “were also infected with the virus while in the performance of their duties and responsibilities to the people, exposing them to its infection and transmission.”

“This situation renders the city government of Ilagan inoperative, considering that all city officials and the employees have direct contacts” with the mayor and his family members, the order read.

“A massive contact tracing will thereby be conducted to ascertain the people with direct contacts with these Covid- positive individuals,” it added.

“All offices of the city government of Ilagan shall establish a working structure on a skeletal workforce and work from home arrangement. The city government, through its various offices, shall continue to deliver the services while the city is under the ECQ,” the order said.

There were five new Covid19-positive cases in Ilagan City out of the 26 cases that have been confirmed by the Department of

Health on August 6.

The mayor, who publicly admitted to have been confirmed Covid- 19- positive along with his family members, had been asymptomatic, according to city information officer Paul Bacungan.

A two- day temporary lockdown of the city hall was also imposed with a two-day disinfection to be done from August 6 to 7 and closure until August 9. The city hall will be opened for a partial or skeletal force on Monday.