The provincial government here will extend assistance to the Bureau of Quarantine to intensify monitoring of all arriving passengers at Clark International Airport (CRK) to keep this province free from the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV).

Governor Dennis Pineda called for an emergency meeting Friday with the Luzon International Premier Airport Development (LIPAD) Corporation and Bureau of Quarantine at CRK to discuss current security measures against 2019-nCoV.

During the meeting, Pineda vowed to provide additional manpower to the Bureau of Quarantine.

“Nag-usap na kami ng Department of Health kanina (The Department of Health officials and I talked earlier), so we know na kulang kayo sa manpower (that you lack manpower). ‘Yun ang primary concern namin. (That is our primary concern)That’s why we are here to send doctors and nurses who will monitor 24-hour operations, but we will still wait for your command,” he said.

Pineda designated Dr. Jay Rivera as the team leader of the group of doctors and nurses trained by Jose B. Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital (JBLMRH).

Pineda also offered to provide a 40-foot aluminum container van which will serve as the holding isolation facility should there be suspected passengers carrying the virus at the airport.

Mabalacat City Mayor Crisostomo Garbo also pledged that the city government will provide the Clark airport two ambulances with drivers.

Bureau of Quarantine medical officer Vicente Zaldivar, meanwhile, said they welcome any support from the local government units to control the entry of 2019-NCoV at the airport.

LIPAD chief executive officer Bi Yong Chungunco thanked Pineda for the assistance.

At present, there is no suspected case of 2019-nCoV reported in Central Luzon. (PNA)