NAVFORCEN on lockdown after 77 personnel test positive for COVID-19

Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard Chan delivered tents and relief goods to the headquarters of Naval Force Central on Friday afternoon, July 10, 2020, to especially aid its COVID-19 positive personnel.| Photo Courtesy of NAVFORCEN

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Naval Forces Central in Lapu-Lapu City will have to suspend the delivery of relief goods and medical equipment to other parts of Central Visayas while they remain on “lockdown.”

As of Thursday, July 9, at least 77 navy personnel have tested positive for the infection with one of them already showing signs of recovery.

“These frontliners were manning checkpoints and were the ones transporting the much-needed supplies aboard navy vessels,” said Lieutenant Commander Neil Rafael Yvera, the NAVFORCEN spokesperson.

Yvera said that the NAVFORCEN compound in Barangay Looc was placed on lockdown starting on July 4 and until July 18, 2020, while 76 of their personnel remain in isolation.

With the implementation of the lockdown, he said that they will also have to temporarily suspend their operations which include the delivery of food packs and medial equipment to neighboring islands.

Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard Chan visited NAVFORCEN on Friday afternoon, July 10, to deliver tents, folding beds, and relief goods to aid in the immediate recovery of the COVID-affected navy personnel.

In a Facebook post, Chan said he is saddened that many of our “modern-day heroes’ including navy and police personnel, among others, have also contracted the infection.

“Akong gipanawagan ang mga Oponganon nga tabangan kita sa pag-ampo nga dali ra sila nga maka-recover. Dako kaayo ang ilahang kontribusyon sa krisis nga anaa kita karon,” said Chan.

(I am appealing to the Oponganons to help pray for their immediate recovery.  They have made significant contributions in our fight against this crisis that we are now faced with.) / dcb