Sulu eyes lockdown to prevent new coronavirus variant from entering province

Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan is considering imposing a lockdown in Sulu as part of the provincial government's measures to prevent the new coronavirus variant from entering the province. 

The new coronavirus variant was detected in Sabah, Malaysia, which is just near Sulu.

Tan said local officials and the security sector are determining how they would prevent the entry of undocumented Filipinos from Sabah to Sulu. 

"Kailangan talaga prevention. Ito ang ginagawa namin. Lagi kami nag-uusap with the security sector kung saan sila ang may kakayanan na maglagay ng water asset para sa coastal area na mabantayan na walang makapasok sa ating lalawigan," Tan said at a Laging Handa public briefing. 

"Kino-consider natin na even inter-island baka i-lock down namin. Kahit na among islands and municipalities dito sa Sulu ay baka i-lock down muna natin hanggang sa hindi natin nakikita kung ano ba talaga itong bagong sakit," he added. 

Tan said a decision would be reached on the planned imposition of lockdown before the day ends. 

So far, Tan said the province needs choppers to monitor the movement of residents in the province as well as medical equipment to enhance the COVID-19 testing measures on residents. 

Tan has said the province will temporarily halt entries from Sabah due to the discovery of the new coronavirus variant.

Malaysia’s Health Ministry has dubbed the new variant as the "A701B" mutation. However, it is unsure if it is more infectious than the usual coronavirus. —KG, GMA News