*The dead patient’s home barangay and 7 nearby villages, all in Sarrat town, under lockdown
LAOAG CITY, Aug. 30, 2020 – Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Marcos Manotoc announced on Friday night the death of a COVID-19 patient, the province’s first recorded coronavirus-related fatality.
In his statement, the Governor described the fatality as IN-C36 patient, 62-year-old female and resident of Barangay 9, San Lorenzo, Sarrat, Ilocos Norte.
Provincial health consultant Dr. Norman Rabago said that following the death of IN-C36 patient, all ways and means in determining her exposure are being exhausted.
The patient, reports said, had been hopping from one hospital to another for treatment of unknown illness before she was confirmed infected of COVID.
Meanwhile, eight barangays including the fatality’s home village in the said town are now under extended lockdown after the sudden spike of Covid-19 cases in these villages.
Sarrat Mayor Remigio Medrano said he ordered the extended lockdown on barangays 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 16 which were previously put under lockdown from August 21 to 25.
The extended lockdown was imposed due to the presence of 20 active COVID-19 cases mainly from these barangays.
During the press conference, Governor Manotoc appealed to all residents of the affected barangays to strictly observe health protocols in order to stop the spread of the virus noting that the best way to contain the virus is a 14-day self-quarantine.
He, however, rejected any plan to place the whole town of Sarrat under total lockdown saying “it is not necessary at this point to totally lockdown Sarrat. We urge people to be careful and considerate and not be overly worried.”
At press time, Mayor Medrano had directed all the concerned village officials to help provide food supply to their respective constituents who are now prohibited from going out from their homes until the restriction is lifted.
As part of the precautionary measures, the Mayor said he also ordered the temporary closure of the Sta. Rosa market, Sarrat-Namnama Multi-Purpose Cooperative and municipal slaughterhouse.
Aside from disinfection activities, barricades and border checkpoints manned by police personnel were also installed in the entry and exit points of the identified villages, Mayor Medrano added.
He explained that only essential workers and those with emergency health problems in the lockdown area were allowed to go out from their residence, while the restricted villagers are required to go on home quarantine. (tri-media report)
