ILIGAN CITY —– The capitol complex of the provincial capitol of Lanao del Sur will be closed for three days starting Monday, August 10 for thorough disinfection of the entire area.
The precautionary measure is undertaken in view of the declaration of local transmission of COVID-19 in Lanao del Sur and Marawi City.
Employees of the provincial capitol shall implement the work-from-home arrangement during the period according to an announcement on Sunday.
Integrated Provincial Health Officer Dr. Alinder Minalang announced on Friday, August 7, that 21 confirmed cases were noted to have “no known exposure or recent travel history outside of Lanao del Sur and Marawi City for the past 30 days, hence, local transmission is hereby declared”.
As of August 9, there are 175 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Lanao del Sur. Twenty-eight (28) of these cases are active and 14 were admitted at Amai Pakpak Medical Center (APMC) in Marawi City, nine (9) are in facility quarantine and five (5) are in-home quarantine.
“This is a precautionary pronouncement to ensure that our local governments, public and private health care providers and all other stakeholders can prepare for a possible increase in suspected and confirmed cases,” Minalang said.
“At this point in time, intensified contact tracing and isolation of close contacts of confirmed cases are being implemented. Moreover, improved hospital preparedness, enhanced community isolation facilities, intensified severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) surveillance, and increasing the capacity of our testing laboratory to diagnose COVID-19 are being pursued,” he added.
On August 20, the APMC is set to open the biomolecular testing laboratory which is funded jointly by the Bangsamoro regional government, the provincial government, and the local government unit of Marawi.
The provincial, city and municipal Inter-Agency Task Forces (IATFs) with the contact tracing teams are currently exhausting all efforts to identify others who may have come in contact with the confirmed cases to ensure that this localized transmission does not progress co community spread according to Minalang.
All identified close contacts are strictly isolated and placed on quarantine in accordance with established protocols and guidelines.
Minimum health protocols are strictly enjoined: wearing of facemask, practice personal protective measures, and observance of physical distancing.
Unnecessary travel and social gatherings and complying with the mandatory 14-day isolation will be monitored by the IATF.
“We highly advise everyone to stay at home whenever possible. We also enjoin the public to get information from the duly constituted authorities and to report any suspicious individual or anyone not complying with our public health protocols,” Minalang said.
On July 22, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (provincial council) of Lanao del Sur approved ordinance number 5 setting up penalties for violations of the minimum health standards:
For any person who fails to comply while in the territory of the province of Lanao del Sur: 1st offense is P1,000; 2nd offense is P2,000; and 3rd offense is P3,000 and/or five days imprisonment, subject to the discretion of the proper court.
For the business owners or public utility operator: 1st offense is P5,000; 2nd offense is P7,000, and, 3rd offense is P10,000 and a recommendation for cancellation of the business permit or franchise.-Divina M. Suson
