ZAMBOANGA CITY – A one-month lockdown has been imposed in Turtle Islands (Taganak) town in Tawi-Tawi province to protect the residents against possible infection by the new coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) strain.
Turtle Islands Mayor Mohammad Faizal Jamalul said on Monday that they decided to impose the lockdown after receiving reports about the detection of the new and more dangerous Covid-19 strain in Sabah, Malaysia.
“We closed the border of the town effective December 29 and since then, inbound and outbound vessels are not allowed,” Jamalul said.
Residents of Turtle Islands travel to and from Sabah through Sandakan and Lahad Datu to buy foodstuffs and other supplies.
The municipality of Turtle Islands is located within the Sulu Sea at the south-western tip of the Philippines less than an hour’s boat ride from Sandakan, a sea port in Sabah.
Jamalul earlier requested Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan, Jr., chief of the Philippine Army’s Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom), to deploy navy ships to closely watch the border.
Naval Forces Western Mindanao (NFWM) commander Commodore Toribio Adaci Jr., said his command has deployed four vessels in Tawi-Tawi to patrol the maritime areas from Taganak Island to Sibutu Island, the entry points of incoming vessels from Malaysia.
Adaci said another patrol vessel departed from Zamboanga City to augment the four ships stationed in Tawi-Tawi.
“Those working in Sabah and are residents of Turtle Islands are required to undergo swab test if they wish to go home. Once found negative, they will have to undergo a 14-day quarantine upon arrival,” Jamalul said.
“If found positive, then they should not go home to protect the community and their families,” he said.
Jamalul said they only have a nurse in the municipality as the work contract of the town’s physician has already expired.
Before the lockdown that is set to end on Jan. 29, Jamalul advised the town residents to store food supplies good for a month.
Tawi-Tawi Gov. Yshmael Sali provided the residents 1,000 sacks of rice for their consumption during the lockdown. Each resident was given a 50-kilogram sack of rice.
Jamalul thanked Sali and said, “malaking tulong na yun sa amin.” -NewsLine
