SAN SIMON -- The chairman of Barangay Sto. Niño of this town pleaded to his constituents to refrain from accepting visitors from outside of Pampanga as the threat of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) still grows.

First termer Chairman Perlito "Dong" Dagdag, Jr. appealed through Facebook live after the village recorded its first case of Covid-19.

In his live report, Dagdag said the elderly patient is a close contact of a Simonian worker in Makati City who went home recently to visit his family.

Dagdag disclosed that the worker is also a resident of this town but went to Makati City to look for a job without securing the requirements from the barangay and local government.

"He bypassed the barangay and local government and did not secure health certificate and travel authority, and instead went straight to Makati City to apply for a job. His employer did not also require anything but a rapid test where he tested negative," the chairman disclosed.

After three weeks, Dagdag said one of the Simonian worker's fellow employees, which he had close contact with tested positive for Covid-19.

As part of the contact tracing, the Simonian worker also underwent swab testing which turned out positive.

But before the release of results, Dagdag said the worker went home to the barangay to visit his mother and get additional things.

"When I learned that the condition of our Kabalen, I immediately locked down the vicinity of their house and pulled out his family to be isolated and tested," the village chairman said.

On Tuesday afternoon, the test result of the worker's mother also turned out positive, Dagdag said.

"For the past more than 100 days, we've been trying our best to protect our community and the people from Covid-19 but due to lack of coordination, one of our Kabalens is now infected," he lamented.

Dagdag appealed to his constituents to be extra careful in accepting visitors as anybody can be a silent carrier of the virus.

"I understand that we have to work despite the threat of Covid-19 but we can protect our families and loved ones by not exposing them to virus that we may be carrying from our workplace," he said.

He added that workers from outside the province can maximize the use of technology such as social media to reach out to their families in the meantime.

"I am appealing to every one of my Kabalen, do not accept visitors in the meantime. May it be a friend or family (member), it is best that we put an extra layer of protection and just makeup after the threat of Covid-19 subsides," he said.