The municipal government of Guagua declares state of calamity following a steady spike in COVID-19 cases over the last days. (Guagua LGU)
GUAGUA, Pampanga — The municipal government of Guagua declared a state of calamity due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases.
The Sangguniang Bayan of Guagua unanimously passed Resolution No. 82-2021, which was backed by Executive Order No. 27-S-2021, directing urgent measures to be taken to combat the virus.
Mayor Dante Torres said the exponential rise in the number of positive cases and the rising number of fatalities due to the virus need an urgent and appropriate response from the municipal government.
“Based on our latest statistics, a steady spike of positive cases due to the reported emerging new variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is occurring. The lingering effects of this disease is taking a toll on the economic and social lives of our constituents,” he said.
With this, the mayor directed the Municipal Health Office to intensify the conduct of mass testing and contact tracing in the town, establish a 24/7 Covid-19 symptoms consultation, and coordinate with the Department of Health for the accreditation of the LGU-identified isolation facilities.
“We also tasked the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office to assist in the mass testing, transport of COVID-19 patients to isolation facilities, and provide oxygen tanks to patients who are at home while waiting for hospital admission,” the local chief executive said.
Torres added that the local government will also conduct relief operations and psycho-social interventions to affected population.
“We will also intensify our implementation of health and safety protocols, especially in our public market. Our barangays are also directed to augment by putting up check points and implementing granular lockdowns in affected communities,” he said.
The mayor said they decided to declare a state of calamity because they need additional funds to sustain areas which are under granular lockdown and be able to provide food, medicine, and burial assistance to the affected population.
Torres said that the spike in the town’s cases is due to the free antigen testing program of the municipal government, wherein even those who are asymptomatic are being detected.
As of August 22, the town recorded a total of 1,735 Covid cases. Of these, 455 are active cases; 1,164 are recovered; and 116 died.
Meanwhile, in the entire province as of August 20, 90 percent of the Temporary Treatment and Monitoring Facilities are already occupied, while 97.84 percent of beds for severe and critical cases at the Jose B. Lingad Memorial General Hospital are already utilized. (CLJD/MJSC-PIA 3)
