Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson is now fit to discharge the function of his office, but on a work from home arrangement, effective Jan. 25, since the Capitol building is undergoing decontamination.
Provincial Administrator, Atty. Rayfrando Diaz, said that Lacson signed important documents, particularly on the salaries of employees, and payments for suppliers.
The governor’s state of health had improved five days after the onset of flu-like symptoms and when he tested positive in the RT-PCR test.
His driver and a close aide, who underwent RT-PCR testing Jan. 24, also tested positive but both are asymptomatic and under isolation.
The governor was advised by Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Ernell Tumimbang, to finish the seven-day home isolation while attending to the needs of the province.
All offices at the provincial Capitol in Bacolod City are on limited operations since Jan. 24, with skeletal workforce manning the offices to continue the delivery of basic services while limiting the movement of people to avert the further spread of the coronavirus, as contained in a memorandum order issued by Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer as acting governor.
Diaz said there are 24 employees from the different departments who got infected, as of Jan. 25, and are on home isolation while their close contacts were advised to observe their health condition.
Meanwhile, 94 health workers assigned to the different hospitals managed by the province were also infected in just two weeks, and are under isolation.
Of the number, 53 are from the Teresita Jalandoni Provincial Hospital in Silay City, while the rest are from the different district hospitals in the north and south of the province, except the hospital in Hinobaan, Diaz said.
He said that 33 healthcare workers of the TLJPH are also on quarantine and closely monitored since they are the close contacts of the doctors and nurses, who earlier tested positive for COVID.
Diaz said there are 121 occupied beds at the Cadiz District Hospital, which is designated a COVID facility of the province, as of Jan. 25, to include the newly-opened annex building with a 90-bed capacity. Majority of the cases are mild and moderate, which means a lesser demand in the use of medical oxygen.
Of all the hospitals in the province and private hospitals in Bacolod City, the Cadiz District Hospital has the most number of patients admitted.
Diaz said they also reopened the isolation facilities in Silay, EB Magalona, and Cadiz City following a spike of fresh cases in two weeks’ time. | MML
