The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Bulacan through the regional and provincial Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) has identified the villages in the province that were placed under localized lockdown due to confirmed coronavirus cases in their respective areas.
This was confirmed by Darwin David, provincial director for Bulacan DILG as he identified the four villages as Barangay Balatong A and Penabatan in Pulilan town, Barangay Panginay in Balagtas and Magdalena Subdivision in Barangay San Juan also in Balagtas.
Two houses and a compound in three barangays in Baliwag town identified as Barangays Tangos, Subic and Poblacion were placed in zonal lockdown and its pertaining documents are still being prepared, David noted.
Meanwhile, according to the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) of Bulacan, a house in Barangay Balatong B was placed under lockdown together with a compound in Barangay Dulong Malabon and a house in Barangay Lumbak all in Pulilan town.
On the other hand, Pandi Mayor Rico Roque said that all COVID-19 patients in their municipality are immediately placed in quarantine facility lockdown while its houses and families are placed in a lockdown and no need for a community lockdown.
The Provincial Health Office of Bulacan reported as of 4:00 p.m. on Thursday 13 more positive cases of COVID-19 were reported in Bulacan bringing the total confirmed cases to 545 wherein 279 of it are active cases.
The Bulacan Provincial Health Office (PHO) recorded 130 new coronavirus (Covid-19) disease positive cases in the last six days from July 3 to July 8 bringing up the total to 545 cases in the entire province with 230 recoveries and 36 deaths.
This includes eight inmates or Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL) and three staffs of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in the City of San Jose Del Monte (CSJDM) with 119 covid cases bringing them on top with most number of cases in the province of Bulacan.
Governor Daniel Fernando recently met with local officials and health officers of the City Government of San Jose del Monte for an emergency meeting in response of the rising COVID-19 cases in the area and commits to help isolating COVID-19 patients in the said city.
Fernando vowed to work hand in hand with the city government of SJDM to lower the coronavirus cases until it is totally eradicated by helping in the isolation of patients and close contacts of positive individuals during his visit in the said city.
After assessing the coronavirus disease situation in the CSJDM, the governor emphasized the importance of coordination and vigilance to prevent the virus from spreading.
“Lahat naman tayo apektado, pero dito sa Bulacan, kayo kasi ang pinakamalapit sa epicenter ng virus kaya naiintindihan natin na tumataas ang kaso ng nagpopositibo. Kailangan nating magtulungan, palakasin ang coordination at talagang umiwas na sa home quarantine para mas mabantayan natin kahit na mga suspect cases pa lamang, palakasin natin ang ating mga quarantine facility,” Fernando said to City Mayor Arthur Robes during a brief program held at the Municipal Covered Court.Mayor Robes admitted that majority of their almost 1-million population, 70% of it are working in Metro Manila, but they cannot lockdown the city because the present state of economy is already hurting them.
“Concerned kami, natatakot din kami. Iniisip din namin ang mga pamilya namin kaya nag-iisip kami ng paraan para malabanan ‘tong virus na ‘to. Bagaman binuksan namin ang mga Negosyo, mahigpit kami sa pag-observe ng protocols. We procured swab kits, nakipag-tie up kami sa Red Cross, sa league of mayors at ngayon sa bubuksang private hospital para mas mabilis ang paglabas ng result,” Robes said.The top five localities in Bulacan with the highest number of confirmed cases City of San Jose del Monte has at 1031 followed by Marilao 55, Malolos 46, Meycauayan 41 and San Miguel and Baliwag both 37 each.
Of the province’s three cities and 21 municipalities, the town of Donya Remedios Trinidad with no confirmed cases of COVID-19 since March has now finally one confirmed case of coronavirus.