By Dolly Yasa
BACOLOD City – Residents of San Carlos City, Negros Occidental who are hiding from contact tracers after contracting the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may face criminal charges.
San Carlos City Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Incident Commander and City Councilor Wilmer Yap said that any person found violating Republic Act No. 11332 (Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act) will be held accountable.
Violators will be fined not less than ₱20,000 but not more than 50,000 or imprisonment of not less than one month but not more than six months, or both, at the discretion of the proper court.
Yap also said that withholding information, especially on their close contacts, will likely lead to the spread of the disease.
EOC members expressed their concern regarding several cases of individuals who deliberately withheld data of their exposure and travel history.
Yap also urged the contact tracers to further strengthen the tracing of individuals who are exposed to confirmed COVID-19 patients.
COVID-19 positive individuals are also encouraged to be truthful in providing information about their whereabouts and potential exposure for easier contact tracing and to avert further transmission, he added.
As of Nov 24, San Carlos City has a total of 364 confirmed cases with 48 actives, 293 recoveries and 23 deaths.
