THE Municipal Hall of Buguias in Benguet was placed on lockdown after a 51-year-old farmer who made a business transaction in the establishment had tested positive for Covid-19.
Buguias Mayor Ruben Tinda-an ordered the lockdown until Thursday, July 2, as the contact tracing team reported a new positive case of Covid-19 with a travel history in Barangay Amlimay and the municipal building.
The chief executive said as part of the expanded mass testing, some barangay agriculture extension workers were earlier swabbed at the Municipal Triage, with one worker testing positive for Covid-19.
"It is the paramount consideration of the municipal local government unit to protect the town and the constituents against the threat of the virus," the mayor said.
Under the executive order, all municipal employees were directed not to physically report to work and were asked to work from home for three days. They were also asked to observe home quarantine and to take precautionary measures.
Transactions in the different municipal offices and departments were temporarily suspended while all employees and town officials were also directed to undergo swab testing, including those who have direct contact with the new Covid patient.
Also, all those who had transactions at the municipal hall from June 24 to 26, were directed to immediately submit themselves to the Barangay Health Emergency Response Team for monitoring purposes.
In the neighboring town of Kabayan, Mayor Faustino Aquisan placed a total lockdown in all sitios of Barangay Gusaran, except Sitio Adereg and Bangao, for contact tracing from June 29 until further notice.
The mayor added the lockdown seeks to facilitate complete and efficient contact tracing and to ensure the safety and security of persons who may have come into contact with the newly confirmed Covid-19 case.
Residents were asked to stay at home until such time the contact tracing is complete.