All persons who will enter Agusan del Sur would have to undergo mandatory rapid testing starting Tuesday.

As the number of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases in the Caraga region increase and cases of local transmission are recorded in Butuan City, Agusan del Sur Governor Santiago Cane Jr. issued an advisory Monday that spells out stricter measures and protocols to contain the spread of the virus.

In a statement Tuesday, Cane said the Provincial Task Force Covid-19 has recommended that the province continue to be under the modified general community quarantine, with new guidelines and health protocols.

“All persons, no one is exempted, who wish to enter in our province from identified areas with confirmed local transmission will be subjected to free rapid test in designated testing areas,” Cane said.

If found negative, the person will be placed under quarantine in a designated area within a period of 14 days, he added.

“Persons found positive during the rapid test will be brought to the provincial quarantine area for the confirmatory swab test,” he said.

Persons found positive for Covid-19 based on a confirmatory test but considered asymptomatic will remain at the provincial quarantine area until recovery through two follow-up tests with positive results.
Those confirmed positive with mild symptoms will be quarantined at the Covid-19 provincial isolation area until recovery with two follow-up tests.

Persons with moderate symptoms will be admitted at the D.O Plaza Memorial Hospital in the town of Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur until recovery with two follow-up tests.

The governor said confirmed Covid-19 positive with severe symptoms will be admitted to the Caraga Regional Hospital (CRH) in Surigao City or at the Adela Sera Ty Memorial Hospital in Tandag City, Surigao del Sur.
“We are implementing these measures to save our province from the dreaded effects of Covid-19 local transmission,” Cane said.

On Monday, the Department of Health in Region 13 said there are 31 new Covid-19 cases in the region, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 87.

As of June 22, Agusan del Sur has five confirmed Covid-19 cases, 36 probable cases, and eight suspect cases. Bayugan City has one confirmed Covid-19 case, six probable cases, and three suspect cases. (PNA)