5 cities, towns in Negros Occ to be placed under lockdown for mass testing

Five areas in Negros Occidental will be placed under a four-day lockdown beginning August 28.

According to an Unang Balita report by GMA News' James Agustin, the lockdown will be enforced for the conduct of mass testing among 10,000 residents. Areas which will be placed under lockdown include the cities of Bacolod, Bago, Talisay, Silay, and the town of Murcia.

The report said the mass testing would be shouldered by the local government.

On the other hand, two puroks in Barangay Fatima in General Santos City will be placed under localized lockdown after an online seller tested positive for COVID-19.

Contact tracing is already being done in the area, the report said. Once all the seller's close contact is already placed in quarantine, the lockdown will be lifted.

Mayors infected with COVID-19

Meanwhile, Victoria, Laguna Mayor Frankie Almeda and Mauban, Quezon Mayor Marita Llamas tested positive for COVID-19, according to the report.

Both are asymptomatic and placed under home quarantine, it added.

Almeda had fever last Monday and he got the result of his COVID-19 testing last Thursday.

The report also said Carmona Evacuation Center in the province of Cavite would be utilized as a quarantine facility, which will be equipped with 100 cubicles, a laundry hub and a nursing station.

The facility will not only be for Carmona residents but also for other patients in CALABARZON.

The local government is targeting to open the facility by September 4. — Anna Felicia Bajo/RSJ, GMA News