The headquarters of the province’s emergency response unit TaRSIER 117 in Tagbilaran City resumed full operations on Friday following a 10-day work suspension which was imposed after some personnel contracted COVID-19.

According to Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) chief Anthony Damalerio, around 60 personnel who were identified as first-generation contacts of eight of their COVID-19-stricken coworkers have been cleared from quarantine after testing negative for the disease.

More are expected to return to work on Monday next week including Damalerio who was also quarantined.

Meanwhile, those who tested positive remained quarantine at the Central Isolation Center of the provincial government.

“Nagpositive na sila last week, naa sila gi isolate sa CIC, then ipa-complete ang 14 days. Unya the rest kadtong mga first gen na nag negative sa PCR nakareport na, mao naka resume na ang operations,” Damalerio said.

All eight of the COVID-19-positive individuals, who had been fully vaccinated prior to infection, were asymptomatic.

They are expected to complete their 14-day isolation next week.

Previously, TaRSIER 117’s main office suspended all operations except that of its communications unit which took calls and dispatched emergency responders from substations.

TaRSIER 117 has six substations in Carmen, Jagna, Talibon, Ubay, Balilihan and Loon. (R. Tutas)