First 2 DELTA variant cases reported in Ecija
CABANATUAN CITY — Nueva Ecija is tightening its border control with the reactivation of 15 control checkpoints as the first two confirmed cases of the highly-contagious Delta variant of the COVID-19 were reported in the province, Gov. Aurelio M. Umali said on Monday.
During a press conference held at his office at the old capitol building here, Umali confirmed that the Delta variant is already in the province with two Novo Ecijanos testing positive for the COVID-19 virus.
Dr. Josefina Garcia, provincial health officer, said infected by the DELTA variant were a resident from Talavera, a male contruction worker who worked in Bataan and another from San Leonardo town, a male Overseas Filipino Worker from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, who arrived last July 14. However, local authorities here were only informed of his virus infection on July 26.
Garcia lamented that the provincial inter-agency task force were not properly informed of this Delta case prior to the patient’s arrival in San Leonardo.
Umali appealed to the Bureau of Quarantine, OWWA and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to revert back to the previous protocol of giving local government units due courtesy in informing them of incoming or arriving OFWs in their respective localities.
During the same forum, provincial police director Col. Jaime O. Santos announced the reactivation of 15 border control checkpoints in the province effective August 6 until August 20, 2021.
Umali said the anti-Delta variant COVID19 measure was an offshoot of a newly-issued IATF resolution tightening border control with the implementation of strict health and safety protocols amid the threat of the coronavirus and its new variants.
The 15 border control areas to be tightened are those in the boundaries of Gapan-Bulacan, Cabiao-Pampanga, Sta Rosa-Tarlac, Licab-Victoria, Guimba-Pura, Cuyapo-Rosales, Carranglan-Sta. Fe, Pantabangan-Castañeda, Bongabon-San Luis, Gabaldon-Dingalan, and Aliaga-Tarlac.
