Benguet records highest Covid-19 cases in a day

NINETY- three new Covid- 19 cases were recorded in Benguet, the highest single-day number of infection in the province.

The province also recorded its ninth Covid- 19 death that includes a 67- year- old male from Buguias who died due to electrolyte imbalance and diabetes aside from testing positive for the virus.

Out of the 93 cases there were 74 cases from Itogon, 14 from La Trinidad, two each from Tuba and Buguias, and one from Sablan.

Itogon Mayor Victorio Palangdan said the sudden increase of cases in Itogon are from sitios and barangays in Luneta, Loacan; Sangilo, Poblacion; Balatoc, Virac and Eastern saddle, Ampucao.

“These are all thickly populated mining areas. We highly suspect that transmission happened inside bunkhouses of several mining companies since infected individuals are mostly workers/ miners with their family members living with them,” Palangdan said.

Of the 74 cases, the provincial government disclosed 48 are residents of Virac, Poblacion with 23 and Ampucao with three.

Palangdan added all four sitios are on lockdown and the infected bunkhouses are in the center of focus by their respective barangay officials and mining companies.

Itogon Municipal Health Office was tasked for contact tracing, isolation and swab testing.

On Thursday, there are now 327 active cases in Benguet, the highest number of active cases were recorded in Itogon with 114 followed by La Trinidad with 112 and 31 in Tuba.