A 24-year old coronavirus carrier from Quezon City is now in deep trouble after he presented a fake document when he went on vacation in Coron, Palawan.
The Local Government of Coron only found out that the tourist is infected with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) when it counter-checked the document presented with the Quezon City Surveillance Team.
In a statement, the Emergency Operations Center of Coron said that the QC resident arrived in their town on March 9 and was allowed entry after presenting a negative swab test result which later turned out to be fake.
As soon as the QC Surveillance Team confirmed that the 24-year old man is COVID-19 positive the following day, he was immediately taken to an isolation facility.
Some of those who made close contact with him were already traced and were required to undergo Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) tests. Fortunately, all of them tested negative. Other possible close contacts with the man is now being traced.
"The LGU Coron is investigating the matter in coordination with other concerned agencies/institutions for possible case to be filed to the said person who falsified his travel documents," the statement read.
Meanwhile, the LGU assured the public that Coron is safe.
It also urged the public to still follow strict health protocols to curb the spread of COVID-19. One of the requirements to enter Coron is a negative RT-PCR result.
The government's pandemic task force approved last month a uniform set of travel protocols which include the scrapping of the mandatory COVID-19 test requirement -- except when required by the LGU -- to revive the tourism industry in the country.
However, most major tourist destinations, including Coron, still require travelers to present a negative swab test result.