An officer-in-charge of a department of the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental turned positive for coronavirus disease 2019 over the weekend.
This was confirmed today, Nov. 16, by Provincial Administrator Ray Diaz, who told reporters covering the Capitol that the acting department chief voluntarily submitted to a swab test because the official had fever last Wednesday, Nov. 11.
The Capitol executive’s brother-in-law, Diaz said, also tested positive for COVID-19 when his test result was also released Saturday.
Both are currently quarantined at the Mambukal Resort.
Co-employees of the infected executive who were also subjected to similar tests yielded negative results, Diaz further told newsmen.
The official’s workplace was immediately decontaminated and contact tracing that included members of the family had been made.
Some Capitol department heads, who were seated with her during last week’s budget hearing at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, also submitted themselves Sunday to swab testing.
Others underwent tests Monday morning, Diaz said.
He added their results are expected late today or tomorrow morning.
The Sanggunian premises were also disinfected, he continued.
Diaz disclosed that the Capitol official must have contracted COVID-19 from one of the five “prayer warriors” the family had invited for the 40-day prayers or the marking of “hukas lalaw”.
The Provincial Health Officer, he said, is currently looking for the five “prayer warriors” as part of their contact tracing efforts because they might continue to spread the virus if they move from one wake to another. – ETL
