DAVAO CITY - Another town mayor in the province of Davao de Oro tested positive for coronavirus disease.
Municipal town mayor Ramil Lao Gentugaya, in a statement Wednesday night, November 18, said he tested positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), while his wife and town Vice Mayor Joanna Gentugaya tested negative.
Both local officials underwent swab testing in the afternoon of the same day. Gentugaya said he was experiencing cough and fever before undergoing tests.
Gentugaya encouraged those who had close contact with him to undergo self-quarantine and to coordinate with their Barangay Health Emergency Response Team (BHERT) for any symptoms.
Two other town mayors of Davao de Oro, including municipal mayors Eutropio Jayectin of Montevista and Antonio Libuangan of Laak, were earlier reported to have tested positive for COVID-19.
As of November 19, Davao de Oro has 88 active cases of COVID-19 after recording two new cases on Thursday. The province has recorded a total of 400 COVID-19 cases, 305 recoveries, and seven deaths.
In a statement, Governor Tyron Uy said that "with the sudden spike of cases, which are mostly local and community transmissions, we opted (for a) more aggressive alternative working arrangement."
The province has adopted a four-day workweek under the modified general community quarantine (MGCQ).
He said this ensures that social distancing is observed in offices. Uy added that the public should take the situation seriously.
"The situation we are in now is not a joke anymore. Tulo na ka mayors nato ang COVID-19 positive ug kada adlaw, aduna’y mga bag-ong kaso sa COVID-19 ang nagadugang (Three of our mayors here have tested positive for COVID-19 and every day we have new cases added)," he said.