Boatmen, island hopping operators, and divers from barangay Mactan undergo swab testing on Wednesday morning, September 23, 2020. CDN Digital photo | Futch Anthony Inso
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu- The Lapu-Lapu City Health Department has swabbed the 56 close contacts of the 22 individuals composed of boatmen, island hopping operators, and divers, who tested positive of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) on Wednesday, September 22, 2020.
Out of 56 close contacts, 47 were from Olango Island and 9 from Barangay Maribago.
Read: Boatmen, island hopping operators in Lapu test positive for COVID-19
Grace Carungay, head of the City Epidemiological and Surveillance Unit, said that these individuals have already undergone swab testing and were advised to be in home isolation while waiting for the result of the test.
Lapu-Lapu City mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan, for his part, promised that the city will provide food assistance to the families of boatmen who have been tested positive of the virus.
“We placed them at an isolation facility and we will give food for their family,” Chan said.
On Wednesday morning, 30 boatmen in Barangay Mactan have also submitted themselves for swab testing. The swabbing was held at the Mactan Shrine.
They are the last batch of boatmen who will be subjected to swab testing before the city will formally reopen its tourism industry within this month.
/bmjo