BALANGA CITY — Gov. Albert Garcia on Monday announced that there are 14 identified cases of the Delta variant of the coronavirus disease in Bataan with six as having recovered.
“Technical classification ng recovery ng anim at ang re-integration nila sa community na lang ang hinihintay,” the governor said.
He said that five of the first six cases came from Mariveles and one from Limay. They are reportedly laborers in the Bataan freeport where there are thousands of workers.
Garcia said that as of Monday, seven more cases of the new variant were identified in addition to one, an overseas Filipino worker from Balanga City. “Official total natin sa Delta variant sa lalawigan ay 14,” he said.
The governor did not mention where the seven new cases are from and the sector they belong.
He called on his constituents to be extra careful and strictly follow primary safety and health protocols but not to panic. “Prevention is still the best cure,” he said.
The governor said the provincial inter-agency task force that he chairs has held multi-agency emergency meetings to discuss measures to prevent and how to deal the entry of the new variant.
He said that in Mariveles where there are more active Covid–19 cases and where the first cases of Delta variant were identified, the IATF has recommended 14-day granular lockdown in barangays Biaan, Balon Anito, and Camaya.
Disinfection of workers’ barracks were immediately undertaken.
Garcia said contact tracing and RT-PCR testing will be given more attention, more quarantine and isolation facilities to be readied and strengthen the capabilities of government hospitals to attend to severe and critical Covid–19 cases.
The governor said there will be additional ICU beds at the Bataan General Hospital and Medical Center, Mariveles District Hospital, and Mariveles Mental Wellness Hospital. Modular hospitals through the assistance of the Department of Health will be provided.
