Benguet town hall on lockdown !-- -- Artemio Dumlao (The Philippine Star) - June 19, 2020 - 12:00am LA TRINIDAD, Benguet, Philippines Five more coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 cases were recorded in this town yesterday, prompting Mayor Romeo Salda to place the town hall on lockdown. Salda said the town hall is closed until further notice to pave the way for tracing of those exposed to the patients and disinfection.

He called on municipal employees, volunteers and clients to avoid the area "for everyone's safety." Three police officers, a health worker and a student are the latest cases.

Benguet police director Col. Elmer Ragay said there are now six police officers in La Trinidad who tested positive for the virus.

Five other personnel of the police Special Action Force, Explosives and Ordnance Division at Camp Dangwa and at Camp Crame, who are natives of this province, had earlier tested positive for COVID-19. Benguet has the highest number of cases among the provinces in the Cordilleras at 25. In Baguio City, Cpl. George Pumay-o is among the three latest cases.

Pumay-o, a resident of Barangay Poliwes, was deployed in Barangays Betag and Buyagan and Sitio Botiwtiw in Barangay Balili, also in La Trinidad. His father works at the Baguio City hall.

In Isabela, Mayor Joseph Tan of Santiago City said an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who arrived from Saudi Arabia on June 11 tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday. The confirmed cases in Cagayan Valley are now 45. Ilocos Sur Gov.

Ryan Luis Singson said a returning resident from Metro Manila is the fourth case in the province. Ilocos Norte Gov.

Matthew Manotoc said their latest case is an OFW from United Arab Emirates. Raymund Catindig

© Pakistan Press International, source Asianet-Pakistan