Cebu now under ‘enhanced community quarantine’

CEBU CITY, Philippines — With confirmed and presumptive positive cases of the coronavirus disease in Cebu, the province is now under a state of enhanced community quarantine.

Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia has signed Wednesday evening, March 25, Executive Order no. 5-N placing the province under a state of enhanced community quarantine.

The governor made the declaration following the Department of Health in Central Visayas’ (DOH-7) announcement that there are now 9 “presumptive positive” cases of COVID-19 in the cities of Cebu, Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue as of March 25, 2020.

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The nine presumptive positive cases are on top of the COVID-19 positive case who is now confined in a hospital in Mandaue City.

According to the EO, the declaration is urgently needed to “allow more stringent measures to be implemented in order to prevent the further spread of the COVID-19.

Garcia, in a press conference earlier this afternoon, said she will meet with the mayors of the province’s 44 towns and seven cities tomorrow, March 26, to discuss concerns and protocols in the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine.

The governor also referred to the measure as “the lockdown” that netizens have been asking from her.

Also included in the EO is the ban on the entry of all passengers arriving on international flights, regardless of their port of origin, beginning March 27, Friday.

Despite the declaration of enhanced community quarantine, Garcia assured that outbound travels will still be allowed and that the traffic of cargo and essential goods will remain unimpeded.

“There shall be no restriction on the movement of any and all cargo on any and all airports and seaports within the province of Cebu during the period of the enhanced community quarantine. Basic and essential goods and other necessities shall be given priority over other goods,” an excerpt from the EO reads.

At 10 a.m. on Thursday, Garcia said the Provincial Board is also set to hold a special session and pass a resolution placing the province under a State of Emergency.