Conceal information and face charges. This is the stern warning of the local government of San Carlos City to those individuals positive of COVID-19 who hid or refused to share their detailed whereabouts during the contact tracing.
Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Incident Commander and SP Member, Dr. Wilmer Yap stressed that any person found violating the Republic Act No. 11332 or known as Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act will be held accountable, and be penalized with a fine of not less than Twenty thousand pesos (₱20,000.00) but not more than Fifty thousand pesos (₱50,000.00) or imprisonment of not less than one (1) month but not more than six (6) months, or both such fine and imprisonment, at the discretion of the proper court.
Yap reiterated that withholding information especially on their close contacts will likely lead to the spread of the disease by exposing others the risk of infection.
EOC members revealed that several individuals deliberately withheld data of their exposure and travel history. They also advised the contact tracers to further strengthen the tracing of individuals who are exposed to confirmed COVID-19 patients.
COVID-19 positive individuals are also encouraged to be truthful in providing information about their whereabouts and potential exposure for easier contact tracing and to avert further transmission.
As of November 24, the city has a total of 364 confirmed cases with 48 actives, 293 recoveries and 23 deaths.
