HINOBA-AN town in Negros Occidental is again free from coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases after recording a hundred percent recovery Wednesday, October 14, 2020, an official said.
Councilor Jason Tupas, chair of the Sangguniang Bayan Committee on Health, said their Rural Health Unit (RHU) has confirmed that all of the 39 remaining cases have fully recovered.
Tupas said the southern Negros Occidental locality has also maintained a zero local transmission record since the start of the outbreak.
"The sacrificial efforts of our brave frontliners, relentless border control, strong community participation and effective policy-making and implementation have all contributed to this huge success," he added.
August 21 was the first winning moment for the municipal government.
It reported that all of its 21 confirmed Covid-19 cases in the locality composed of 17 locally stranded individuals (LSIs), one returning overseas Filipino (ROF) and three authorized persons outside residence (Apor) have recovered from the virus.
However, because of the recent resumption of the arrival of LSIs and ROFs in the province, the town again logged new confirmed cases.
Mayor Ernesto Estrao, in a radio interview, said all additional 39 cases involved returning residents -- LSIs and ROFs --
and not local transmission.
The mayor said they are not being complacent despite this development and that strict health protocols will continue.
It can be recalled that among the responses implemented by the local government are strict border control and strong involvement especially of the coastal communities.
With limited resources, Hinoba-an also implemented a "no home quarantine" policy.
Utilizing two of its beach resorts and three schools, the town managed to contain possible transmission of the virus by housing returning residents in these facilities.
They saw a situation where local transmission surges because LSIs and ROFs are being allowed to go home pending the results of their swab tests.