By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson formally signed an executive order over the weekend adopting unified protocols against the coronavirus disease, or Covid-19. In a press conference Saturday, the governor said, effective March 14, all passengers originating from Metro Manila will be considered persons under monitoring and must immediately undergo a 14-day home quarantine.
The said quarantine will be supervised by the Provincial Health Office (PHO) and the component municipal or city health office where they are residing or visiting.
In addition, all major and public events will be left to the discretion of local chief executives if they will be postponed or suspended.
PHO will also set up a Covid-19 hotline which will be manned by competent medical staff.
Despite neighboring provinces already closing their borders, Lacson said they will not have a problem with the number of people entering Negros Occidental and they are far more concerned over the flow of supplies such as food and medicine. Additionally, Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office director, Police Colonel Romeo Baleros, said they have not yet received orders from national headquarters regarding border controls but affirmed their personnel and resources are “fully-prepared.”
“We still don’t have a community quarantine because we didn’t reach the required threshold of two confirmed Covid-19 patients,” the governor added. “There is no community quarantine [for now].”
Meanwhile, when asked about the Toboso municipal councilor under monitoring, Lacson said the town official is “feeling better” at the hospital. He added, the councilor even requested a burger and called it a “good sign.”
However, the councilor was advised to remain at the hospital until the results of his swab test are released.
The governor emphasized, so far, there are still no confirmed Covid-19 cases in the province./DGB, WDJ