Negros gov, 16 staff self-quarantine

BACOLOD CITY: Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and his 16 staff members are now under self-quarantine after one of its utility workers tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

Charina Magallanes- Tan, spokesman for the Provincial

Incident Management Team for Covid- 19, confirmed on Friday that the Office of the Governor has been locked down for disinfection.

Lacson was unable to join the virtual press briefing with the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas at noontime today and was, instead, represented by Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz 2nd.

“The governor has isolated himself until the contact tracing in his office would be finished. We have to protect our governor,” Diaz said, adding that the governor appears in the pink of health.

Diaz said the utility staff, who is a contractual employee, has not been reporting to work for the past four days because of some coronavirus symptoms. He was made to undergo the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, or RT-PCR, swab test, and his positive result came out at 4 a.m. on Friday.

Meanwhile, Negros Occidental Second District Board Member Samson Merjan has tested positive for Covid- 19, confirmed close ally Cadiz City Mayor Salvador Escalante Jr. on Friday.

At the same time, Board Member Ryan Gamboa announced that he tested negative for the virus. Gamboa submitted himself to the swab test on Wednesday after he came in close contact with Sanggunian Panlalawigan staff, who also tested positive.

From August 12 to 16, the capitol building was locked down for decontamination after several offices had been compromised by the presence of Covid- 19- positive workers.