Philex Mines community, Tuba municipal compound placed on lockdown

October 19, 2020 Provincial

TUBA, Benguet, Oct. 16(PIA) – The local government of Tuba placed under critical zone the Philex Mining community in Padcal, Camp 3 following the recent confirmation of COVID- 19 cases. On October 14, five new COVID-19 cases, all coming from the Philex Mines community were reported by the Tuba LGU- an 80 year old woman, and four males aged 60, 36, and 39.
The five patients are all direct contacts of another patient, a 31 year old female resident of Upper Camp in Philex Mines who was confirmed COVID-19 positive in October 11.
Philex Mining Corporation Legal Officer Eduardo Aratas said the patients were immediately isolated and initially admitted at the Santo Niño Hospital in Philex. They are now at the Benguet General Hospital for isolation and further treatment.
Aratas said the localized lockdown is imposed at the two buildings in Central Saddle and one in the Main Camp Proper in the community for the conduct of contact tracing and disinfection activities. The lockdown took effect in October 14 until further notice and the enhanced community quarantine protocols are enforced in the said areas Aratas said that since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Philex Mining Corporation has established health protocols with the cooperation of the residents in the host and neighboring communities to ensure the safety of its workers and residents.
Meanwhile, Tuba Mayor Clarita Sal-ongan has imposed temporary lockdown at the Tuba Municipal Compound from October 15 to 20 to facilitate the contact tracing, testing quarantine and disinfection mechanisms with the confirmation of seven COVID-19 cases, all newly assigned frontline workers.
The LGU is also advising the public who visited or had transactions in the different offices in the municipality from October 12 to 15 to self-isolate and self-monitor. To date, Tuba has a total 40 confirmed COVID-19 cases with 20 recoveries and 20 active cases.
JDP/RMC- PIA CAR