Cockfighting aficionado is Bukidnon’s first COVID-19 positive case
CAGAYAN DE ORO — The first COVID-19 positive case in Bukidnon is a barangay official who is a cockfighting aficionado and who attended the Araw ng Dabaw 6-cock derby held from March 6 to 12 at the New Davao Matina Gallera in Davao City.
Valencia City Mayor Azucena Huervas said the patient is a barangay official of Barangay Lumbayao, a hinterland village.
Bukidnon officials said the patient is on home quarantine prompting the police and military to lock down the entire village of Lumbayao.
The derby held on March 6 to 12 in Davao is considered the epicenter of the COVID-19 contamination in Mindanao.
At least three cockfight aficionados have died of the infectious disease in Mindanao and three more cases were confirmed in General Santos City, Cotabato City and Caraga region.
Hours before Valencia Mayor Huervas made the disclosure, Bukidnon Gov. Jose Maria Zubiri already placed the entire province under strict quarantine measures last Wednesday afternoon.
Zubiri said quarantine checkpoints would deny the entry of Bukidnon residents and non-residents alike to the province starting April 13.
He said the measure covers Bukidnon residents who live outside the province and would take effect from April 13 to 26.
The quarantine measure exempted groceries, markets, water refilling stations, and delivery services.
Zubiri also allowed banks, pharmacies, gas stations, LPG stations, funeral parlors and hospitals to operate.
Under this scenario, only one member of a family or household is allowed to go out to do essential errands provided they can show “Quarantine Passes” issued by their barangays.
Valencia City police chief Colonel Surki Sereñes said police and army units have placed Barangay Lumbayao under strict lockdown starting Thursday morning.
“Even their barangay tanods and health workers are no longer allowed to the checkpoints,” Sereñes said.
“It’s the police and army manning the two checkpoints in Barangay Lumbayao,” he said.
Sereñes said included in the lockdown is a group of traders from nearby Maramag town who went to sell on the weekly market day in Barangay Lumbayao. /rcg
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