Valenzuela City Hall. (PHOTO BY MARK CAYABYAB/VALENZUELA CITY PIO)
10 frontliners of Valenzuela City who are asymptomatic have tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) after they were subjected to the city’s mass testing for the virus.
Former Valenzuela City mayor and current Senator Sherwin Gatchalian made the shocking news in a tweet saying that if they did not subject their city’s frontliners to the test, they would not have known that they are now carriers of the dreaded virus.
Disturbing news – we found out that 10 members of our Valenzuela frontliners tested positive under our mass testing program. All are asymptomatic. Kung hindi namin sila na test, hindi namin alam na positive sila. There are probably more out there roaming around under the MECQ.
— Sherwin Gatchalian (@stgatchalian) May 16, 2020
The senator’s brother and current mayor of the city, Rex Gatchalian, assured his constituents not to worry since the local government has implemented steps to prevent the spread of virus.
He added that testing the city’s frontliners is their effort to locate contain the virus by testing “asymptomatic individuals who are high risk in terms of exposure”.
Seeking other potential cases. These are mobile asymptomatic individuals who are high risk in terms of exposure. We are making sure that we contain them in our quarantine facilities especially now that the city is gradually opening. We want to make sure things are all contained.
— Rex (@rex_gatchalian) May 16, 2020
The city has assured residents that the said frontliners are currently isolated to prevent further contacts and the possible transmission of the virus. The frontliners are also being given medical treatment, the city said. Contact tracing has already been conducted. (Rommel F. Lopez)