41 BPO workers catch COVID-19

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — A business process outsourcing (BPO) company in this city was closed for disinfection yesterday after 41 of its employees tested positive for COVID-19.

Contact tracing is ongoing for people who had contacted with the employees of the Transcom, according to city administrator Em Ang.

The city emergency operations center (EOC) started monitoring the company on Jan. 23 after a 21-year-old employee experienced cough and cold, and tested positive for the virus.

The company subjected the employees to swab tests and discovered that several of them had contracted COVID.

The EOC urged the company to improve its working condition and observe health protocols such as physical distancing, implement work-from-home scheme and provide temporary lodging and transportation for the workers.

Of the 41 infected employees, 80 are non-residents of the city, according to Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, who expressed concern that the workers are taking public transportation.

As of Sunday, Bacolod had 151 coronavirus cases.