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CABATUAN, Isabela — Sixteen town hall workers here tested positive for COVID-19, prompting the local government unit to start the reimplementation of mandatory wearing of face masks in its offices since Friday afternoon (May 19), local officials said on Saturday.

The 16 town hall workers were confirmed COVID-19 positive in both antigen and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction tests.

The workers, who do not have travel histories, were placed under a seven-day home quarantine. Disinfection was also carried out in municipal offices.

READ: Metro Manila’s COVID-19 positivity rate hits 26% as of May 17 – Octa Research

Mayor Bernardo Garcia earlier ordered a half-day of work on Friday as contact tracing is ongoing.

Two days ago, two contractual workers under the Government Internship Program (GIP) also tested positive for the COVID-19 virus and were placed under home quarantine for a week.

Garcia tasked the Rural Health Unit-Cabatuan and Cabatuan police in implementing mandatory face masks among workers in the local public places.

READ: Octa Research: PH’s COVID-19 positivity rate rose to 19.3% on May 6

Villagers were also urged to use face masks. Face mask distribution and information drives in the town have been imposed.

Some 11 teachers and two students of the Cabatuan National High School were also put under home isolation last week after they were confirmed COVID-19 virus-positive. The classes were also held either online or modular until Friday. VILLAMOR VISAYA JR. INQ

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