Mega-dam project on lockdown following surge in COVID-19 cases

COVID-19 has taken a toll on the construction of the multibillion-peso mega-dam project in the town of Calinog in Iloilo after almost 30 workers tested positive.

Daewoo Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd., the construction firm taking charge of the P11.2-billion Jalaur River Multipurpose Project – Stage II (JRMP II) in Calinog, was placed on lockdown following the surge of cases traced to the workplace.

The firm was temporarily closed starting April 15 until further notice following the order of the local government unit (LGU) of the town of Calinog

In a media interview, Mayor Francisco Calvo said the first case traced to the firm involved a Korean employee who planned on returning to Korea and was subjected to a swab test where he yielded a positive result.

The Municipal Health Office (MHO) then conducted an intensified contact tracing in the dam project where they discovered additional cases.

As of April 16, 2021, cases traced to the construction firm climbed to 42, including 13 Koreans and 29 Filipinos, based on the data from MHO.

MHO added that over 400 close contacts of the positive cases are being subjected to swab tests.

Currently, MHO said total COVID-19 cases in Calinog is now at 130, with 81 recoveries and 46 active cases.

Four are admitted to hospitals, 33 are asymptomatic and undergoing quarantine while nine are symptomatic exhibiting mild symptoms. (ERS)