MINALIN, Pampanga – Barangay Sto. Domingo in this municipality was put on hard lockdown starting July 13 (Monday) until July 19 (Sunday).
The seven-day restriction was to halt movement in the area until testing of the 50 closed contacts of the three confirmed positive cases here have results. The localized quarantine was recommendation by Mayor Edgar Flores and Barangay Captain Edmond Atienza to control the spread of coronavirus or COVID-19.
“We will endorse it to the Regional IATF na ilalockdown natin for 7 days ang barangay Sto Domingo ng Minalin to make sure na lahat ng contact tracing po maayos po muna natin. Sana maintindihan niyo po kami, di naman po para sa amin to, kundi para sa inyo din to make sure na ma-stop na natin yung virus kaagad,” said Pampanga Governor Dennis ‘Delta’ Pineda.The Minalin officials also saw the need for a lockdown after two additional COVID-related mortalities here.
“Pinag-igihan naming ang contact tracing lalo na nung nalaman naming ang mga namatay, we have a total of more than 50 na na cross tracing natin, na swab na sila sa Diosdado Macapagal Memorial Hospital, we cross our fingers na sana lahat sila ay negative,” said Mayor Flores.
Minalin has three active cases and all were confined at Diosdado Macapagal Memorial Hospital. Transmission allegedly emanated from COVID Patient No. 3 according to Mayor Flores
The whole province has 178 total confirmed cases with 17 mortalities.
Alarmed by the rising cases of infection and mortalities caused by COVID-19, Pineda told local executives to discourage home quarantine saying those people exhibiting symptoms must be brought to quarantine facilities.“Isa po sa inapela ko sa mga mayors natin na ayaw ko po ng home quarantine, once na nagkaroon ng close contact, kausapin ang pamilya kailangan naming kunin agad para we’ve make sure na di kumalat po yung virus,” said Pineda.
Frontline workers were allowed to pass through checkpoints but advised to stay in their working places until the lockdown ceases. Other employees and non-essential personnel were told to stay home.