Benguet now has 12 positive cases of the coronavirus disease-2019 (Covid-19) with the two latest cases coming from Itogon.
Mayor Victorio Palangdan said the first individual that tested positive of the Covid-19 is a 40-year-old jail officer from the New Bilibid Prison in Manila who initially tested negative from the rapid testing before going home to Ucab, Itogon.
The jail officer, however, tested positive for Covid-19 based on the swab test result released by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine on May 29.
The second case that was confirmed on June 1 is another jail officer from the Bureau of Corrections. He is from Loacan barangay and a colleague of the first case.
The two jail officers brought to the locality a dead inmate from the NBP.
The two officers, who were both asymptomatic, were brought to the Benguet General Hospital. Both are now in a stable condition.
Palangdan imposed a total lockdown on barangays Loacan and Ucab to facilitate the conduct of contact tracing in the areas.
He said around 60 individuals were traced for both cases, and none of the close contacts tested positive for the Covid-19.
He has since lifted the total lockdown imposed in the two barangays.
Gov. Melchor Diclas said most of the Covid-19 positive cases recorded in the province are either overseas Filipino workers or those working in the frontline services.
Diclas reminded the community to continue observing health protocols.
Among the 12 positive cases in the province, nine are from La Trinidad, one from Bokod, and two from Itogon. All of them have fully recovered.
As of June 4, Benguet has 1,938 suspected cases.
La Trinidad has the highest number of suspected cases with 1,349 followed by Itogon with 121; Buguias with 88; Tuba with 73; Tublay with 55; Kapangan with 49; Sablan with 43; Atok with 40; Bokod with 27; Kabayan, Kibungan, and Mankayan with 25 each; and Bakun with 18. – Ofelia C. Empian
