DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 15 October) – Work in many offices at the town hall of Santo Tomas, Davao del Norte was suspended Thursday, Oct. 15, by Mayor Ernesto Evangelista after it was learned that five personnel of the Municipal Health Office were exposed last week to a worker from Department of Health (DOH) – Davao who tested positive for the coronavirus disease.
Workers disinfect the offices of the municipal government of Santo Tomas, Davao del Norte on Thursday, Oct. 15, 2020. Photo from the Facebook page of Santo Tomas LGU
Municipal Information Officer Mart Sambalud said all buildings, facilities and public spaces within the compound of the local government would be subjected to extensive disinfection and decontamination to ensure the safety of the government workers and the general public.
Sambalud said the DOH-Davao employee came to monitor the COVID-19 cases in the province.
He said the five municipal frontline health workers have been placed in isolation, and will undergo reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests on October 22.
But he added they would immediately undergo a test if they develop any symptoms of the disease such as fever, cough, fatigue, shortness of breath, and loss of smell and taste.
Sambalud said work at the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office, the Municipal Health Office and other offices concerned with disaster, emergency, rescue, health and social services was not affected.
He said the Municipal Treasurer’s Office, Municipal Economic Enterprise Development and Management Office, and Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Association remained open with a skeleton workforce.
He said government work would resume on October 16, unless the suspension is extended.
As of October 14, the DOH-Davao reported 3,771 cases with 2,920 recoveries and 129 deaths.
Of this total, 2,462 were reported in Davao City, 244 in Davao de Oro, 416 in Davao del Norte, 268 in Davao del Sur, 90 in Davao Occidental, and 291 in Davao Oriental. (Antonio L. Colina IV/MindaNews)
