Councilors nationwide are now on self-quarantine after the Department of Health confirmed that a councilor from Tayasan, Negros Oriental whom they have been in contact with for two days in Manila two weeks ago, has contracted the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Around 12,000 councilors from different provinces nationwide attended the 11th National Congress of the Philippine Councilors League last February 26 to 28 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.
Aside from the general assembly meeting, an election was held for the new batch of PCL officers.
The Tayasan councilor, whom the DOH anonymously referred to as Patient Number 39, is one of those who are actively campaigning for a party candidate.
PCL President of Negros Oriental Chaco Sagarbarria stressed though that after the two-day convention, the Tayasan councilor checked out of the Diamond Hotel and stayed with relatives in Greenhills, San Juan for a few days.
“During the activity of the PCL Natcon, he was with the group from February 26 to 28, and on the 28th after the activity, he went to Greenhills to visit his sibling where he stayed and slept. There were already a lot of PUI people there, [and that is] where he probably contracted the virus,” Sagarbarria said.
DOH epidemiologists in Central Visayas have reportedly placed some of the 460 councilors in the region as “persons under monitoring,” the Freeman reported.
The Filipino Times spoke with a councilor who attended the convention. He said while he has no colds or flu, he underwent self-quarantine and had his blood samples taken for COVID-19 test and genome sequencing. Their 14-day quarantine period will end tomorrow.
He could not say if all the other Natcon attendees self-quarantined. He noted that most of those who ran as officers actively campaigned and “shook hands” with fellow delegates.
Sagarbarria noted though that the COVID-infected councilor is 65-years old, and has a medical history of being a post-kidney transplant patient.
The patient is confined at the ICU of Silliman Medical Center in Dumaguete City for severe pneumonia. DOH regional epidemiology said Patient 49 is in critical condition but Sagarbarria dismissed it, saying the councilor is “still alive and stable.”
“PCL is encouraging all its members to remain calm. The National Convention was held in close coordination with the Department of Health and the Department of the Interior and Local Government. As a precautionary measure, body temperatures were checked at all entrances and alcohols were provided for the delegates use to ensure the safety of everyone. DOH representatives were likewise present and provided a comprehensive lecture about the Corona Virus on the first day of the said event,” Sagarbarria added.
The Diamond Hotel in Roxas Blvd also told them that they have no confirmed case of COVID-19 infection except for the said councilor.
“[Negros Oriental] Local Chapter has also confirmed that all councilors from the said local chapter have, so far, not exhibited any symptoms,” he added.
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