Cebu City looking for own quarantine facility for residents with suspected 2019-nCov

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City government is now looking for places or buildings in the city that would become a quarantine place for residents with suspected cases of 2019-novel coronavirus acute respiratory disease (2019-nCov ARD).

Mayor Edgardo Labella said in a phone interview that they are currently looking for areas that can become a quarantine facility for infected residents.

This quarantine facility is separate from that of the Department of Health’s (DOH) quarantine facilities to be established in four local government units (LGU) for the travelers from China to be subjected to the 14-day quarantine imposed by the Cebu Provincial government.

Labella said it is necessary that Cebu City has its own quarantine facility for its residents should the virus enter Cebu especially that most DOH-referred hospitals are in the city.

“We are preparing a quarantine facility. We are looking for areas in the city. We will use it as the need arises,” he said.

Recently, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) issued a memorandum directing all barangays to allocate an area for isolation and quarantine for suspected patients of 2019-nCov.

Councilor David Tumulak, the chairperson for the council’s committee on disaster risk reduction and management, said that barangays have already been directed to do so since January 23, 2020.

This was one of the precautionary measures the city has made to combat the possible spread of the 2019-nCov.

Tumulak said Cebu City is generally prepared for the virus as the state of preparedness has been declared since January 29, 2020. /rcg