BAGUIO CITY – The Baguio City Hall and the President Fidel V Ramos Gym, which serves as processing venue for requiring travel permit, were closed Wednesday after 16 new cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) were recorded on Tuesday.
“We regret to inform the public that three City Hall personnel assigned at the PFVR Gym have tested positive for COVID-19,” said Mayor Benjamin Magalong in his advisory to the residents.
Magalong said they were closing the facility and suspending the processing of travel documents effective Wednesday, August 5, to give way for disinfection of these venues, and further testing.
As a safety precaution, Magalong also closed City Hall to the public for two days (Wednesday, August 5, and Thursday, August 6), and will allow only a limited number of workforce to ensure continuity of operations.
He also called on persons who visited City Hall and PFVR from July 29 to August 4 to go on self-quarantine, and seek medical attention at the onset of any symptoms.
The 16 COVID-19 positives yesterday was the highest number recorded in the Summer Capital on a single day, bringing a total of 144 confirmed cases in the city with 79 active cases, 62 recoveries and 3 deaths.
Contact tracing was underway on the new patients, who included a 21-year old male from Upper QM, a 27-year-old female from Balsigan, a 32-year-old male from San Luis, a 35-year old female from Sto. Niño, a 55-year old male from City Camp Proper, a 26-year old male with address in La Trinidad, and a 26-year old male from Kias;
The others were a 35-year-old male from Irisan, a 42-year-old female from San Luis Village, 46-year-old male, 58 and 31-year-old females, all from Camp 7; a 55-year-old male from Pacdal, a 54-year-old female and 39-year-male from Campo Filipino; and a 32-year-old female from Teacher’s Village.
Magalong appealed to the public to avoid unnecessary travel outside of their homes, and the city for the next two weeks to prevent further spread of the virus.
"Please stay home and avoid travels unless absolutely necessary. And please sustain all our health protocols, too. It's the best we can do to safeguard ourselves and our families."
As of 7 p.m of August 4, 12 barangays have been locked down for the contact tracing of 13 COVID-19 patients on Monday, namely New Lucban,San Roque Village, Purok 1, Pucsusan,Kias,Mrr Queen of Peace,Pinsao Pilot, Loakan (Ongasan and Pongian), Salud Mitra,San Vicente,St Joseph Village,Cresncia Village and Upper QM.