OFFICIAL STATEMENT 2 POSITIVE COVID 19 CASES As of September 20, 2020

The Municipality of Balungao has been particular with the people’s health through the implementation of stringent guidelines and health protocols, however, persons who are required to work or be outside their residences are not restricted however not immune from being infected of the covid 19 virus.

Notwithstanding the safety measures we implement, we regret to inform the public that after RT-PCR Test performed on several individuals, results were received late last night, September 20, 2020, and there are two (2) confirmed covid 19 positive cases in the municipality. They are as follows:

1. Male, 41 years old, from Barangay San Marcelino, Balungao, Pangasinan and is an Authorized Person Outside Residence (APOR), and has been travelling back and forth from Bulacan to Ilocos Norte. He was brought immediately to the Isolation Facility of the LGU after testing positive in a Rapid Test performed by the Ilocos Norte Provincial Inter-Agency Task Force, after which, a confirmatory RT-PCR Test (Swab Test) was performed by the Municipal Health Office, where result was also positive. The patient has symptoms of colds and has a pre-existing health condition such as hypertension.

2. Male, 54 years old, from Barangay Kita-Kita, Balungao, Pangasinan, RT-PCR test required by the agency for his return to work to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which was performed by Sacred Heart Medical Center in Urdaneta City. The patient’s swab test indicates that he is positive of covid 19. The patient is asymptomatic and is isolated at the isolation facility of the LGU.

The patients will remain in the Isolation Facility to complete the fourteen-day quarantine and will be under the care of the Municipal Health Office.

The Local Inter-Agency Task Force has placed Barangays San Marcelino and Kita-Kita on localized lockdown for one week beginning today, September 21, 2020 to give way to a more expansive contact tracing and RT-PCR Tests will be performed to all persons identified to be in close contact with the positive confirmed cases.

We are advising everyone to remain calm and to refrain from articulating words or the display of negative actions that may discriminate the patients and their families. It is also advised that the public shall follow strict health protocols and to continue practicing physical distancing, frequent hand washing or disinfection and to wear mask and face shield in public places. Any risky attempt to travel to and from highly infected areas must be avoided.