Starting today March 28, 2020, Baguio City will no longer allow entry of non-essential travellers including stranded residents from other provinces except Benguet.
Mayor Benjamin Magalong issued the order yesterday as a measure to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
The ban will be effective for the next two weeks and will not include deliveries of food, medicines and other essential items.
It is noted that most of the city’s confirmed cases originate from persons with history of travels to infected areas.
“We are escalating our ECQ status and will no longer allow Baguio residents who are stranded in other provinces (except Benguet) to enter the City in the next two weeks. During our meeting this afternoon (March 27, 2020), I learned from health officials that we don’t have any local transmission. With this information, an opportunity is present to fast-track our healing process by closing our borders in the next 2 weeks to non-essential travels except food and other essential item deliveries and cargoes. I ask for your cooperation and understanding.” Magalong stated.
Good news
The City Health Services Office (CHSO) reported the first Corona Virus Disease (COVID) 2019 case in the city who was able to recover from the deadly virus after testing negative on the second test that he underwent while confined in a Level 3 health facility in Metro Manila.
Based on the data released by the CHSO late Friday afternoon, the first confirmed COVID case in the city who was able to recover was a 55-year old male from Metro Manila, who is a member of one of the Chambers of Congress, and travelled from Makati City to Baguio City and had onset of COVID symptoms last March 12, 220.
The speedy recovery of the confirmed COVID case contributed in reducing the number of confirmed COVID cases in the city to 3, a 61-year old female who arrived in the city from Italy last March 2, 2020 and underwent medical examination for symptoms last March 7, 2020; a 52-year old female who is resident of Metro Manila who travelled to the city and had onset of the symptoms last March 6, 2020 and a 23-year male who is a resident of Metro Manila who came to the city and displayed symptoms of the virus last March 16, 2020 and underwent medical check-up last March 20, 220.
Photo credits to BCPO