24 Pag-IBIG personnel infected with Covid-19

By Mar S. Arguelles

More Covid-19 positive cases were reported from the Pag-IBIG Fund Office in Legazpi City, which was placed on lockdown on Saturday, Feb. 6, after an employee was tested positive for the virus, the Department of Health (DOH) in Bicol said.

DOH tracker said that 24 active Covid-19 cases were recorded at the Legazpi Pag-IBIG Fund office from Jan. 24 to Feb. 6 with 11 additional personnel getting infected of the virus from the original 13 cases reported on Thursday, Feb. 4, by the city’s Interagency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Disease (IATF).

Dr. Ernie Vera, DOH regional director and IATF Bicol vice-chairperson, has issued a public health advisory, strongly advising those who visited the said office from Jan. 20 to 30, this year, to contact or call the nearest health facility for health assessment to determine possible exposure.

Vera, however, said that for those who have been already contact traced, they shouldy strictly follow the advice of their health providers.

The city’s IATF is still determining if there was a breach of the health protocol in the Pag-IBIG office.

DOH Bivol tracker on Feb. 4 said there are 598 Covid-19 active cases in Bicol bringing to 4,437 the total Covid-19 cases in the region with 3,658 recoveries (82 percent), and 181 recorded deaths.

Camarines Sur province has the biggest number of cases with: 1,162 or 26 percent; followed by Naga City with 749 cases or 16.8 percent; Masbate – 643 or 14 percent; Albay – 558 or 12 percent; Sorsogon – 531 or 11.9 percent; Legazpi City – 457 or 10 percent; Catanduanes – 168 cases or 3.7 percent; Camarines Norte – 163 cases or 3.6 percent; and others (transient) 6 cases or 0.14 percent.