Town hall on lockdown since Tuesday

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Murcia Mayor Gerry Rojas, two Sangguniang Bayan (SB) members and a former SB member tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019, or COVID-19.

Provincial administrator, Atty. Rayfrando Diaz, said the results were released Wednesday afternoon by the Provincial Molecular Laboratory at the Teresita Jalandoni Provincial Hospital in Silay City.

Diaz named the two Murcia SB members who tested positive for COVID-19 as Belen Magbanua and Adrian Olimpo and former SB member Ruben Taneza.

The said officials and Taneza are all asymptomatic and were brought to the Provincial Quarantine and Healing Center at the Mambukal Resort, also located in the said town.

Murcia Vice Mayor Johnny Reusora said they submitted themselves to a swab test on Tuesday after they were exposed to an official in an event last week.

Reusora said he also had symptoms of COVID-19 like cough and loss of taste and smell, but he said he tested negative for the virus based on the RT-PCR test result.

Reusoria also said they have temporarily locked down the municipal building since Tuesday until the disinfection will be completed.

Meanwhile, Third District Board Member Andew Montelibano revealed that the first to who tested positive for COVID-19 were Punong Barangay Jenny Gemenia of Barangay Salvacion and a Department of Education district supervisor in Murcia.

Rojas and other officials were exposed to the two in an event on March 26.

Montelibano, who was the former town mayor, is recommending that the municipal building be locked down until disinfection of the premises is completed.

Reusora also said that they are set to have an emergency meeting with the local COVID-19 Task Force with their rural health unit for immediate contact tracing and other necessary steps to address the situation./DGB, WDJ