By Liezle Basa Inigo
PANGASINAN – Lingayen Mayor Leopoldo Bataoil announced Friday night that a departing overseas Filipino worker (OFW) and native of Barangay Namolan, Lingayen was confirmed positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Bataoil said precautions and health protocols in Lingayen have been strictly implemented, and that no COVID-19 case had been reported in the capital of Pangasinan for about two months.
But on Friday night, June 19, he was saddened by news that an OFW, who had a swab test in Manila on June 17, got a positive result on Friday.
In a statement, Bataoil said it was November last year when the OFW arrived in Barangay Namolan, Lingayen .
Based on the report of the Municipal Health Office (MHO) on June 2, the OFW proceeded to Namolan Barangay Hall and Rural Health Unit to obtain requirements on his scheduled travel in Manila.
“Sinundo umano ng kanyang tyuhin mula Rizal at ipinag-drive mula Pangasinan patungong Maynila noong June 16, 2020, Bataoil said.
Ang nasabing asymptomatic OFW ay nakatakda nang bumalik sa kanyang bansang pinagtatrabahuhan kaya sumailalim sa naturang test nung June 17, at ngayong araw nga lumabas ang result na ito ay positive sa naturang virus,” he said.
According to the OFW, he had no other travel history from June 2 to June 16, and only had a meeting with neighbors.
The OFW is now on strict home quarantine in Taytay, Rizal.
In the meantime, the Lingayen government is already doing contact tracing, and has ordered disinfection and decontamination of the patient's home.
The Municipal Health Office here will also be closed for two days.(Liezle Basa Inigo)
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