By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
A total of 35 households in Barangay Bacuyangan, Hinoba-an, Negros Occidental were placed on a 14-day lockdown starting Saturday, April 24, after two of the residents have died due to coronavirus disease 2019, or COVID-19.
Hinoba-an Councilor Jason Tembrevilla Tupas said a total of 158 individuals have been affected by the lockdown, which was specifically ordered by Mayor Ernesto Estrao in order to give way for contact tracing efforts.
Tupas said the system for provisioning the affected residents’ needs have been made by both the local government unit and the barangay. He admitted it would be difficult for the first few days, although they are confident that it would become easier as the days pass.
Based on further information provided by the town councilor, in three days, two COVID-positive patients have died.
They have also received information that a resident of Barangay Bacuyangan, who had recently arrived in Luzon, had also tested positive for COVID-19.
However, instead of being recorded in the town, the COVID-positive case was registered to Bacolod City instead, as the town resident used a Bacolod address.
Another Bacolod City resident who was swabbed and went to Hinoba-an also tested positive for COVID-19. Tupas said the patient had already been isolated while the household where the patient went was placed on lockdown.
Tupas blamed Resolution No. 101 issued by the National Inter-Agency Task Force as the reason behind the spike of COVID-19 cases in the town.
He pointed out the resolution removed the mandatory swabbing and quarantine in Negros Occidental, while Department of Interior and Local Government also removed the medical certificate requirement.
“Damo sang nagabinutig kag naga-misdeclare sang ila address sa aton border. Halos wala na disiplina ang tawo sa mga giho kag gakalipatan na ang mga health protocols,” he added.
(A lot of people are lying and misdeclaring their address when they [arrive] at our border. There is almost no discipline among the people as to where they go, and they have forgotten health protocols.)
As of Saturday, April 24, the Rural Health Unit of Hinoba-an recorded a total of four active COVID-19 cases./DGB, WDJ