Virus shuts down city’s emergency response office

By Emme Rose Santiagudo

Operations of the Iloilo City Emergency Responders (ICER) were temporarily halted starting Monday night after one of its personnel got infected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

According to Donna Magno, head of the City Disaster Risk and Management Office (CDRRMO), more than 60 ICER personnel who had contact with the positive case are now under quarantine.

“More than 60 sila nga na-quarantine. Others will temporarily stay at the city’s isolation facility in the Jubillee Hall while ang iban naka home quarantine,” she told Daily Guardian in a phone interview on Tuesday.

In a statement issued Monday night, Mayor Jerry Treñas said the CDRRMO temporarily ceased its operations while they are awaiting the laboratory results of the other personnel.

“All other ICER personnel are now under quarantine because of this, and they have ceased operations for the meantime. We will be waiting for the results of their polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test.  Rest assured we are giving our all-out support not only to the affected responder but to the entire CDRRMO team,” he said.

Magno said the ICER team has been in charge of responding to emergency calls such as vehicular accidents and medical emergencies.

“Affected gid aton emergency response but we cannot put at risk the safety of public so we will have to wait for the results before they can resume their operations,” she said.

In the meantime, the city government tapped the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in Iloilo City to handle and respond to emergency calls.

Iloilo City residents may reach the BFP via 337-6918.

In a bulletin issued on Tuesday, the Department of Health Center for Health Development in Western Visayas (DOH-CHD 6) confirmed a new COVID-19 case in Iloilo City.

The patient is a 28-year-old female from Jaro district who is under facility quarantine.

The health department refused to confirm if the new patient is the ICER personnel.

As of Tuesday, Region 6 has 63 COVID-19 cases with 24 recoveries and nine deaths.