By Dolly Yasa
BACOLOD City – This city reported its third person under investigation for suspected 2019 coronavirus (nCoV) infection.
Bacolod City Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, chairman of the Bacolod Inter-Agency Task Force against Coronavirus, confirmed the information Tuesday.
The latest PUI is a 58-year-old Filipino Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) who arrived recently from Hong Kong, Familiaran said.
The first two PUIs were a 58-year-old Canadian-citizen who arrived from Taiwan and a 12-year-old Filipino minor who traveled to Macau and Hong Kong.
The three are under quarantine at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) here.
The vice mayor urged the public not to panic and advised OFWs who arrived recently to coordinate with their barangay officials or the City Health Office.
Familiaran also confirmed that the samples from all three patients have been taken and they are awaiting results from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, which should be released anytime this week.
Earlier, Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson confirmed two patients have been placed on quarantine at the CLMMRH after exhibiting “flu-like” symptoms.
The governor reiterated earlier statements and called for calm and encouraged the public to continue their normal routine.
“There is no confirmed case yet of the virus in the province,” he said.
HOME SCHOOLING
Meanwhile, the Silliman University in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental implemented preventive measures to protect the university’s students.
In an advisory released on their official social media page, the university said they are confident with the efforts being made by the provincial government of Negros Oriental and the city government of Dumaguete in addressing the nCoV concern.
The university has decided that effective Tuesday, classes at the School of Basic Education (SBE) – preschool to senior high school will be undertaken through an alternative learning scheme.
Academic activities and assessment of all SBE students will continue at home, based on learning plans that will be provided to the students.
“Should the situation improve, the University will issue an advisory on whether to resume classes on February 10, 2020. Otherwise, the alternative learning scheme will continue until further notice,” the university management said.
During the alternative learning scheme period, the teachers shall continue to observe duty hours to entertain queries from parents, conduct parent conferences, compute grades and prepare the necessary materials.
Meanwhile, regular classes will continue for the tertiary and graduate levels until further notice. However, students, faculty and staff are advised to observe the necessary precautionary measures as previously prescribed by the University in its January 23, 24 and 31 memos based on the World Health Organization and Department of Health guidelines.
The university has also canceled the scheduled Faculty and Staff Day and the University Honors Day until further notice, as well as extracurricular programs, including college week activities.
Silliman University has also withdrawn its participation in the Central Visayas Regional Athletics Association Meet this month, and the university’s sports teams have been instructed to temporarily suspend all practices.
Earlier, two Chinese-citizens who visited Dumaguete City last month have tested positive for nCoV.
Health officials in Negros Oriental immediately placed the resort and hotel establishment where the two nCoV-positive patients stayed under quarantine.
The two patients were confined to the San Lazaro Hospital in Metro Manila, and one later perished while receiving treatment.
