Sen. Christopher ‘’Bong’’ Go, chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, has sought strict patrols in the coastal areas of the southern Philippines following reports that a new strain of the dreaded COVID-19 was reported in Sabah, Malaysia.
Go issued the statement after the provincial government of Sulu called on the National Inter-Agency Task Force for possible assistance following reports that a new strain of the COVID-19 has been detected in Sabah.
Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan saidthat he has instructed his staff to urgently make representation with the National Inter-Agency Task Force MEID on how best to handle the emerging situation.
‘’Nakakabahala at mabuti na lagi tayong handa at pagaralan agad ang measures na dapat gawin, ngayon ay nananawagan si Gov. Tan sa IATF na tulungan sila sa anong gagawin matapos mabalitaan na may new strain sa Sabah, dahil 29 hours via boat lang po ang Sulu at marami ang pumapasok diyan sa likod,’’ Go said.
(This is a sensitive situation and it is good that we are on alert and should study measures on how to face the threat. Yesterday, Sulu Gov. Tan called on the IATF to help his province after learning of the presence of a new COVID-19 strain in Sabah which is just 29 hours by pump boat to Sulu. Many enter the country’s backdoor)
During a DWIZ radio interview, Go expressed apprehension over the new COVID-19 strain in Sabah just minutes before he is scheduled to attend the IATF meeting to be presided over by President Duterte in Malacanang Saturday afternoon over the new strain in the United Kingdom.
The Sabah strain was discovered a few days ago.
‘’Maging istrikto pa tayo at bantayan nag coastal dahil di natin makakaya na magkaroon pa ng ganitong kaso, nahihirapan na nga tayo, panibagong health protocols na naman ang gagawin kung sakaling totoo itong new strain,’’ Go said.
(We should be strict and watch our coastal areas because we cannot afford to suffer under this new strain. Right now, we are having difficulties and we might adopt new protocols if the new strain is true)