KORONADAL CITY (MindaNews / 16 June) – Two mayors in South Cotabato have tested positive for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as the province remained the most infected with the virus in Soccsksargen or Region 12.
Tampakan Mayor Leonard Escobillo. MindaNews file photo by GREGORIO C. BUENO
Leonard Escobillo and Floro Gandam Sr., mayors of Tampakan and Lake Sebu, respectively, separately announced that they have been inflicted with COVID-19, which is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 or SARS-CoV-2.
Both leaders have gone into isolation to avoid spreading the virus.
Escobillo, a registered nurse, said he will quarantine for three weeks or 21 days. He announced he was COVID-19 positive on June 11.
Gandam said Monday he was asymptomatic and asked for prayers for the recovery of those who are suffering from COVID-19.
“Let us stay safe and stay home for our families. Let us do our part in preventing the spread of COVID-19,” he added.
Tampakan recorded 183 COVID-19 cases while lake Sebu logged 131, with their active cases at 80 and 68, respectively, according to data from the South Cotabato Integrated Provincial Health Office.
Last June 6, Mayor Angelo “Roncal” Montilla of nearby Tacurong City in Sultan Kudarat succumbed to COVID-19.
As of Tuesday evening, of the 16,679 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Soccsksargen region, South Cotabato recorded the highest at 5,534 cases, followed by General Santos City with 4,716, North Cotabato with 2,792, Sultan Kudarat with 1,936, and Sarangani with 1,702, the Department of Health – Soccsksargen reported.
Of the total cases in the region, 12,812 have recovered, 480 resulted in death and 3,385 are still active cases, it added. (Bong S. Sarmiento / MindaNews)
