Ninety five people, mostly “children in conflict with the law” (CICL), including staff of Bahay Tanglaw Pag-asa (BTP) in Bulacan, were tested positive of COVID-19 after they contracted the disease supposedly from a staff of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO).
According to Dr. Hjordis Marushka Celis, Provincial Health Officer II and chief of the Bulacan Medical Center (BMC), among those infected were 80 CICL, nine staff members of the PSWDO and six jail guards.
It was learned that the said juvenile reformation and correctional facility known as Bahay Tanglaw Pag-asa located in Barangay Guinhawa in Malolos City has been placed in a hard lockdown since the detained youth and staff tested positive.
They were found to be infected by a PSWDO staff member who first tested positive on March 26, 2021. Upon contact tracing, the said staff attended a birthday party where the celebrant was first tested positive for the virus.
According to the report, the youth inmates developed symptoms of cough and fever one after another until the PSWDO staff and jail guards were also infected.
According to Dr. Celis, the 14-day quarantine for them was already completed but they decided to extend it for another seven days and is currently nearing its completion.
The Bahay Tanglaw Pag-asa is under the supervision of the PSWDO. At present there are at least less than one hundred CICL detained there who have cases ranging from rape, robbery and violations of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act. Their age ranges from 13 to 26 years old.
Meanwhile, Governor Daniel Fernando urged Bulakenyos to fight the spread of misinformation especially now in the midst of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
That is what the governor emphasized at the recent meeting of the Provincial Task Force against COVID-19 due to the widespread misinformation, which he said is causing more confusion, fear and anger among Bulakenyos where there are still more good results in relation to the impact of the pandemic.
According to Fernando, Bulacan’s recovery rate remains high with 78 percent where he cited the 15,891 recoveries out of 20,139 affected by COVID-19 in the province.
This is said to be much higher than the 19 percent or 3,707 active cases while 3 percent or 541 died due to the said disease.
He urged Bulakenyos to unite and abide by the guidelines implemented by the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, which he said is the most effective way to suppress COVID-19.
“Imbes na punahin ang pamahalaang nasyonal at lokal, makipagtulungan na lang dahil walang magaling ngayong pandemiya,” the governor said.