Baguio not on lockdown, says Mayor Magalong
By Joseph Almer Pedrajas
Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong said Wednesday that they have yet to confirm if the two Chinese patients who tested positive for 2019-novel coronavirus acute respiratory disease (2019-nCoV ARD) visited the city during their vacation in the country.
The mayor said there is no information about the Chinese couples’ visiting Baguio. At the same time, Magalong announced that the city of Baguio is not on lockdown and tourists are free to visit.
“Kahapon [Tuesday] nag meeting lang po kami ng aming task force. Nagkaroon po kami ng comprehensive briefing coming from the Department of Health, wala namang nabanggit sa amin na nagpunta yung dalawang infected ng coronavirus,” he added.
Magalong issued the clarification as claims that the two nCoV ARD patients went to Baguio started to circulate and has since raised public concern.
“Hindi ko naman po sinasabi kung di sila umakyat. Wala lang po talagang sinabi sa amin na umakyat sila. I-veverify ko po yan sa DOH mamaya,” he noted.
Magalong added that there is no truth to rumors that Baguio City has already been on lockdown nor the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) has already decided to cancel their homecoming activity on the second week of February.
“Hindi po totoong may lockdown kami sa Baguio. Nagtataka nga po ako bakit daming tumatawag sa akin at nagsasabing nakasara na raw po ang Baguio. Hindi po totoo yun,” he stressed, saying that there is also no confirmed nCoV case in the city.
“Makikipagugnayan din ako sa kanila [board members of PMA] mamaya. Malalaman po namin
mamayang gabi kung ano pong final decision nila [about sa homecoming],” he said.
