TACLOBAN CITY 鈥撯�� The Department of Health in Eastern Visayas (DOH-8) is investigating how jail officers and inmates of the sub-provincial jail located in Laoang town in Northern Samar acquired the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
鈥淭he possible sources could be new inmates, visitors, and jail guards,鈥� said Dr. Minerva Molon, director of DOH-8.
As of Wednesday, at least 15 jail guards and 53 inmates have contracted the virus.
The municipal government placed the facility, which has 182 prisoners and 80 jail guards, under lockdown last Oct. 9 to stop any possible spread of the virus.
The DOH also distributed personal protective equipment to the facility.
Also in Laoang, Mayor Harris Ongchuan has directed the closure of the town鈥檚 justice building to include its municipal court for 14 days starting Oct. 12 for disinfection and contact tracing purposes.
A COVID-19 patient from Mondragon town, also in Northern Samar, was said to have entered the building last week.
With 60 new cases, Laoang now has 69 total COVID-19 cases.
The DOH also reported 173 new cases of COVID-19 in Eastern Visayas, the highest single-day tally in the region in almost three months.
With its 173 new cases, Eastern Visayas now has 5,493 total COVID-19 patients.