Dalaguete mayor tests positive for COVID-19

Dalaguete Mayor Jeffrey Belciña | Photo from the Municipality of Dalaguete Facebook page

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Another local chief executive in Cebu province tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Dalaguete Mayor Jeffrey Belciña disclosed, in a statement published on their town’s official Facebook page on Monday evening, February 22, that he has COVID-19.

Belciña said he received on Monday information on his test results, which confirmed that he has SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the disease.

He said that he started to experience symptoms of the infection shortly after their town celebrated its annual feast on February 10 and immediately underwent swab testing.

“Sa kadaghan sa mga kalihukan alang sa preparasyon sa groundbreaking sa mga proyekto sa tulo ka barangay ug sa blessing sa usa ka proyekto sa lain barangay niadtong February 10, taas ang akong exposure risk sa COVID-19,” added Belciña.

(With the various preparations for the groundbreaking of projects in three barangays and the blessing of a project in another barangay on February 10, I was highly exposed to COVID-19.)

Belciña is the 11th mayor in Cebu confirmed to have COVID-19.

Other mayors previously infected with the virus were Junard ‘Ahong’ Chan (Lapu-Lapu City), Sun Shimura (Daanbantayan), Michael Angelo Sestoso (Alcoy), Jose Antonio Pintor (Asturias), Danilo Diamante (Tuburan), Lakambini Reluya (San Fernando),  Gerald Anthony ‘Samsam’ Gullas (Talisay City), Jose Tumulak Jr. (Oslob), and the late Barili Mayor Marlon Garcia.

Dalaguete, a first-class municipality located around 88 kilometers southeast of Cebu City, celebrated its 310th fiesta celebration for San Guillermo, its patron saint, last February 10. / dcb