City of Malolos—Bulacan Governor Daniel Fernando and at least 7 security aides and three others were reported to have tested positive of COVID-19.
It was, however, still not known whether the four Capitol employees have been transferred to the quarantine center of the provincial government at the Bulacan Medical Center or were told to go on a self-imposed quarantine in their respective residences.
Dr. Joy Gomez, Bulacan provincial health officer, told Manila Standard that the governor is positive asymptomatic, which means that Fernando is not manifesting symptoms like cold, coughs or fever.
Gomez said Fernando is now on a self-imposed quarantine at the Governor’s Official Residence at the provincial Capitol compound, while his five close-in security aides are quarantined at the make-shift isolation rooms at the Governance Center at the back of the Hiyas Pavilion.
Gomez added that swab testing for all other staff at the governor’s office including department heads who have been in close contact with Gov. Fernando the last two weeks have already started last Saturday will continue this week based on the contact-tracing that is being done.
In a statement released to select mediamen, Fernando said he suspects that he contracted the virus from Board Member Ramil Capistrano, president of the Association of Barangay Captains, who announced last Tuesday that he has tested positive of Covid19.
Last August 15, the Inter-Agency Task Force Covid Shield led by Health Secretary Duque conducted a provincial briefing at the Hiyas Pavilion where Capistrano, Gov. Fernando and all provincial department heads were in attendance.
The provincial Capitol was also locked down for a week (Aug. 10-14) after three employees tested positive for Covid19. Earlier in July, the offices of Public Attorney’s Office and the PNP-Criminal Investigation Division Group were also locked down after some of its personnel tested positive for the viral disease.