The Department of Health (DOH) on Monday night confirmed a third patient in the province found positive for the new coronavirus disease (Covid–19), prompting this town, where he is from, to institute stricter measures to prevent its spread.

Patient No. 3, a 55-year-old man and an employee in Metro Manila, has been confined at a Bataan hospital since March 15.

Mayor Antonio Raymundo imposed a 24-hour curfew starting Tuesday midnight which, he said, will be strictly implemented to prevent the spread of Covid–19.

Checkpoints will also be setup.

He said barangays will issue five barangay quarantine passes. The first is for those who will go to the market, groceries, drugstores, bakery, banks, agricultural supply, gas stations and hardware.

The second is the employee’s pass that will be given to workers in banks and other establishments allowed to open; third, patient pass; fourth, market vendor’s pass; and fifth, farmers’ and fishermen’s pass.

The municipal government, on the other hand, will issue three passes— one for front liners, second for medical staff working outside the town, and third for employees of companies also outside the town.

The mayor urged all residents to wear face masks outside houses.

He divided the town of 23 barangays into north and south clusters when going to the market. Those in the north can go marketing during Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays for those in the south.

He announced that barangays will start distributing food packs starting March 24.

“We need cooperation and understanding of all and rest assured that we will do everything not to spread the virus here. We need divine intercession. Let us pray that patient no. 1, 2, and 3 could recover,” Raymundo said in Filipino.

Governor Albert Garcia said tracing those the three patients came in contact with continues.

Latest report showed that there are 5,688 persons under monitoring (PUMs) and 364 patients under investigation (PUIs) in the province. (PNA)