The Negros Occidental provincial government has deployed health personnel on Thursday to take swab samples of identified patients under investigation (PUIs) in various cities and municipalities across the province.

A list released by the Provincial Incident Management Team (PIMT) Command Center showed that as of 1 p.m., a total of 70 PUIs have been identified, of which 36 have been scheduled for testing on Thursday.

“To ensure the awareness, cooperation and safety of everyone, please be advised that province-wide testing has started today. Do not be alarmed if health care workers donning public attire for taking swabs are seen in your area,” the PIMT said in a public advisory.

The identified PUIs are located in San Carlos City, with 14; Calatrava, 8; Bago City, 7; Hinigaran and Valladolid, 4 each; Himamaylan City, La Carlota City, Talisay City, and Moises Padilla, 3 each; Sagay City, Sipalay City, Binalbagan, E.B. Magalona, La Castellana, Manapla, and Pontevedra, 2 each; Escalante City, Kabankalan City, Murcia, Pulupandan, Isabela, Cauayan, and San Enrique, 1 each.

Capitol consultant Alfredo Benitez, who is also a member of the PIMT, said that Negros Occidental has an allocation of 300 testing kits from the Department of Health.

The provincial government has opened a quarantine center in the northern town of E.B. Magalona to accommodate PUIs with mild symptoms.

The facility, located in a “Yolanda” housing project site in Barangay Sto. Niño has 210 beds.

“We will group all recorded PUIs, transfer them to this area, and monitor them. The idea is to control the number of PUIs sent to the hospitals,” Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson had earlier said.

As of Wednesday, Negros Occidental has recorded only one positive case of Covid-19. The patient is a female resident of E.B. Magalona town. (PNA)