3 of them have the Delta variant infection

TACLOBAN CITY- At least 27 medical workers in  the region are among patients who continue to battle with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
And three of them were detected to have infected of the highly transmissible Delta variant, Dr. Marc Steven Capungcol, head of the regional surveillance and epidemiology unit of the Department of Health (DOH), said.
Of the three medical workers confirmed to have been infected of the Delta variant of COVID-19, two were from Taft in Eastern Samar and one from Alangalang in Leyte.
And of 27 medical workers whose COVID-19 infection are considered as active, 16 of them were from Leyte; eight from Northern Samar; two from Samar; and one from Southern Leyte.
Since the start of the pandemic, 1,733 medical workers from the region have been infected with COVID-19 of which 1,699 of them have recovered and seven of them died due to COVID-19 complications.
Capungcol said that these medical workers infected of COVID-19 have most likely get the infection from their work places.
Thus, he appealed to the public to strictly follow all the health minimum protocols as their way of helping the medical workers from getting the infection.
“It is most high likely that these medical workers get the COVID-19 from their work stations; from the (patients tested positive for COVID-19),” Capungcol said.
The health official said that they continue to receive report that mass gatherings which are considered to be super spreader of COVID-19.
“If our COVID-19 cases will continue to increase, the more we are exposing our medical workers to infection,” Capungcol said.
He asked the public to report to their office or to the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) or at their respective local government units those who continue to stage mass gatherings.
The region, as reported by DOH on Monday, has 143 new cases, bringing its total cases to 44,240 of which 41,723 have recovered.
About 2,032 are considered as active and 485 deaths.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)

TACLOBAN CITY- The owner of a beach resort here has been summoned by the city government for possible violation of the minimum health protocols being imposed against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Gemafiel Gaspay, head of the business permit and licensing division, said that a notice to explain was issued against the management of the Aqua Tico Beach Resort/ Blue paradise Bar and Grill located in San Jose district.
The summon was a result of a video that circulated in the social media last August 29 showing big number of people gathered inside the beach resort.
According to Gaspay, the management of the said resort was given three days to explain their side.
Meanwhile, the alleged super spreader event has reached the regional office of the Department of Health (DOH) which, in turn, reported it to the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) for an investigation.
It was also learned that the Office of Civil Defense has taken action and the event was reported to the Philippine National Police (PNP).
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

More tourists, investors projected to visit N. Samar

CATARMAN, Northern Samar- The newly-rehabilitated passenger terminal building (PTB) of the Catarman Airport in Catarman, this province, could now accommodate more passengers.
Transportations Sec. Arthur Tugade said that with a better and bigger passenger terminal building, the town and the rest of the province could expect better days ahead.
Tugade, who together with Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines Director General Jim Sydiongco leading the event Thursday (Sept.2), said that from the previous 50 passengers, the airport’s PTB could now accommodate 150 passengers and 15,000 passengers every year.
The national government, through the Department of Transportations, allocated more than P114.8 million for the rehabilitation and development of the Catarman Airport which is located in Barangay Dalakit in the said provincial capital.
For the rehabilitation of the PTB, the government allocated P26.13 million and P53 million for asphalt overlay construction, among others.
Sec. Tugade said that now that the Catarman Airport has been developed, influx of tourists and even investors could be expected.
“Catarman and the rest of Northern Samar has a big potential in terms of tourism. And this potential will not be realized if the airport will not be rehabilitated,” he said.
Local officials led by Rep. Paul Daza, Vice Governor Gary Lavin and Catarman Vice Mayor Clarissa Bonsol expressed their gratitude to Sec. Tugade.
“(The) Catarman Airport is critical for the progress and development of the province,” Daza said.
Lavin and Bosol said that an improved Catarman Airport will not only help the locals but also help improve the economy of the province and even during relief operations during a disaster situation.
At present, the Catarman Airport has a once- a -week flight to Manila. (PETER D. PAREDES)