Gov’t to also check spike of COVID-19 cases in Leyte — DILG chief Año

After Cebu City, government officials will also check the situation in the province of Leyte amid the reported increase of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the area, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said Wednesday.

In a radio interview, Año said he and National Task Force on COVID-19 chief implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez would visit and check the situation in Tacloban City.

"Ngayon kasi ay maiiwan si Gen. Cimatu sa Cebu. Kami naman ni Sec. Galvez ay lilipad papuntang Tacloban kasi isa rin problema natin ngayon ang Leyte," Año said.

"Biglang nag-surge doon kasi sabi nga may mga dumating doon na LSIs at OFWs na pinagmulan ng spike. So kakausapin din natin 'yung mga LGU officials doon at titingnan din natin 'yung actual situation sa ground at kung ano rin ang kaya natin matutulong sa Leyte," he added.

Earlier, 12 lawmakers from Eastern Visayas have called for a review of the government's "Hatid Probinsiya" program amid the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the region.

The lawmakers called on the Department of Health to reinforce its regional office in Eastern Visayas to be more effective in containing the spread of COVID-19 in Leyte and Samar provinces.

Latest data indicated that the region now has a total of 435 COVID-19 cases. — Anna Felicia Bajo/RSJ, GMA News