PANGASINAN – The Magsaysay market in Dagupan City, the biggest fish market where the tastiest milkfish or “bangus” could be bought, will closed on Thursday, September, 10 for disinfection.
This was announced on Tuesday by Mayor Brian Lim, who said that the market will be closed for one day after three vendors tested positive for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in recent days.
Lim also ordered all fish vendors and their helpers in the market to undergo rapid tests.
He said anyone who refuses to take the rapid test will not be allowed to sell at the fish market.
It was learned that on September 7, many fish vendors and helpers avoided the rapid test conducted by the City Health Office (CHO), based on a report by Dr. Ophelia Rivera, the COVID-19 focal person of the city.
Of the 27, who agreed to undergo the rapid test, seven were reactive, and were immediately made to undergo reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) swab tests.
Lim said that, with the return of fish vendors and others working in the fish market on Friday, September 11, they must undergo a rapid test, and must not be "reactive" before they are allowed to re-enter the area.
The CHO will have a triage in the area where traders, buyers, consignacion operators, and helpers will undergo a rapid test, if they do not show the results of the rapid test conducted on them in the past two weeks.
Lim also directed Dagupan City Police Chief Lt. Col. Luis Ventura Jr to deploy personnel in the area to enforce the ordinance mandating the mandatory wearing of face masks and face shields.