By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

After the request of the provincial government to place Negros Occidental under general community quarantine (GCQ) was denied by the National Inter-Agency Task Force (NIATF), Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said they will adopt other measures in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 cases in the province.

Lacson said tourist destinations in areas with a high number of active COVID-19 cases will be temporarily closed, while those with low cases will be allowed to continue operating but only at 50 percent of the venue’s capacity.

Cockpits in the province will also remain closed until further notice, while only limited attendance will be allowed for events such as weddings, baptisms and funerals.

Individuals who died with COVID-19 symptoms will also undergo RT-PCR testing in order to further prevent the spread of the virus.

NIATF denied the provincial government’s request for GCQ based on Department of the Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III’s explanation that the attack average in the province is only at two percent, far from the required average daily attack rate of seven percent.

Growth rate of COVID-19 cases in the province is also currently at 107 percent, also far from the 200 percent which is considered high risk.

As of April 13, Negros Occidental has a total of 8,952 COVID-19 cases of which 1,572 are active; 7,142 have recovered; and 238 deaths./DGB, WDJ