NegOr closes borders after death of PUI

DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental- All borders in Negros Oriental will be closed to all passengers effective 12 midnight on March 26, 2020.

This comes after a patient under investigation (PUI) with Severe Acute Respiratory Infection ( SARI) died Tuesday afternoon, March 24, 2020, in a private hospital here while waiting for her swab test result expected to arrive Wednesday.

Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo on Tuesday issued Executive Order No. 24 series of 2020, adopting the guidelines issued by the Office of Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (OPAV) on the implementation of a 24-hour curfew for students and senior citizens.

The Medical and Quarantine Task Group of the Inter-Agency for Emerging and Re-Emerging Infectious Disease through a resolution, also recommended for the closure of all borders, airports, and seaports from passengers wanting to enter the province.

Even returning residents shall be denied entry as stipulated in Section 4.

Drivers and helpers of cargo and delivery trucks of “essential goods” are exempted, provided they will undergo a Department of Health (DOH) protocol.

Section 2 of the executive order also stated that “weather minor or legal age who have been in school during school year 2019-2020 from preparatory to college education, either in formal, technical/vocational or alternative learning system education, including those who have just graduated, are included in the order.”

Also exempted from the order are students of medical, law and graduate schools, but they are encouraged to stay at home during the period of community quarantine.

Senior citizens, 65-year old and above shall be under strict home quarantine.

Those who are 60 to 64 years old and still working are not included in the order but they should also arrange their working schedules with their employers so as not to jeopardize their health condition.

The order further noted that each barangay in the municipality and city are enjoined to issue a Community Quarantine Pass, which will serve as gate pass.

Section 3, states that every household shall be issued one Community Quarantine Pass to an individual who will buy food, essential goods, medicine or transact with a bank.

For senior citizens living alone who need to buy food and other errands, they must coordinate with the village chief through the Barangay Health Emergency Team (BHERT) or barangay health workers. /bmjo