20 soldiers tested positive
TACLOBAN CITY- A military camp based in Kananga town, Leyte has been placed under lockdown after 20 of its soldiers were tested positive of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Lt.Col. Roberto Beatisula, commanding officer of the 93rd Infantry Battalion based in Barangay Aguiting of the said town, however, was quick to say that despite of this incident, they still continue to function in ensuring security within their area would not be affected.
Beatisula, in a phone interview, said that one of his soldiers was said to have suffered from dengue fever and was brought to a hospital in Ormoc City on Oct.11.
And as part of the protocol, he was swabbed whose result turned positive of the virus. The entire camp was placed under lockdown on Oct.14.
All 11 close contacts were also tested of which seven turned positive. All belong to the same platoon who returned to their headquarters after their security patrol mission in San Isidro, also in Leyte, on October 10.
On October 22, 84 other soldiers of the battalion were swabbed of which 12 were tested positive based on the result released by the Department of Health on Monday (Oct. 26).
“The public has nothing to worry as we’re able to contain the situation. They don’t have any contacts (from the community).All those tested positive were immediately isolated and all are asymptomatic,” Beatisula, who is scheduled for his own swab test on Thursday (Oct.29), said.
As part of their precautionary measures, the entire military camp was placed under lockdown which means all those inside the camp could not go out and no outsider would be allowed entry.
“We will be under lockdown until we will be cleared by the local government unit, by the municipal health office. We are closely coordinating with the mayor (Matt Torres),” he said.
The entire camp has already been disinfected by the members of the Bureau of Fire personnel of Kananga.
Beatisula assured the public that their security operations continue as three of the battalion’s companies are still doing their security operations.
Meantime, the regional office of the Department of Health (DOH) reported that Eastern Visayas has now 6,586 COVID-19 cases of which 46 new cases were added on Monday.
The new cases were from Leyte with 32 cases; Samar, with eight cases; Northern Samar, three; Eastern Samar, two; and one from Southern Leyte.
