Sunstar-Bacolod
TERESA D. ELLERA
July 13, 2020

TALISAY City, Negros Occidental Mayor Neil Lizares is appealing to all Talisaynons not to panic after he confirmed that four bikers from the city and a four-year-old boy were among the new patients who tested positive for the novel coronavirus (Covid-19).

Talisay City Mayor Neil Lizares. (Photo by Talisay City PIO)

"I am at loss for words right now but I know that we will continue to thrive as we did in the past months. Despite today’s news, please let us not panic. Instead, let us be vigilant more than ever," Lizares said.

Talisay City's Patient Nos. 5 to 8 are all bikers who had close contact with Patient No. 3.

"While this is sad news, fortunately, the other bikers tested negative. All these patients are now in the healing center," the mayor assured.

He said that the City Government has been doing contact tracing and all locations where these patients may have been are being covered. Aside from this, the City is now preparing for rapid testing of all the families who may have had direct or indirect contact with the patients.

"This is disheartening but please let us help and pray for each other. Let us not be complacent because complacency will only put us in difficult situations. Strict physical distancing, proper wearing of facemasks, and proper handwashing are still our greatest weapons," Lizares added.

Meanwhile, Talisay City's Patient No. 4 is a four-year-old LSI who traveled from Guimaras to Iloilo and Iloilo to Bacolod on June 30, 2020.

The said child traveled with her mother and sibling to Purok Pasto, Barangay Zone 12A on the same day. Patient No. 4, her mother, and sibling are now at the healing center awaiting the results of their recent swab tests.

Lizares also revealed that during home quarantine, the four-year-old had lived with her relatives.

"Up to this time, the patient’s relatives are asymptomatic but were already transported to the city quarantine facility so we can put a halt on the spread of the virus," Lizares said.