Cebu City records 6 new COVID-19 cases in one day over mass testing

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City recorded six new cases of positive Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Barrio Luz and Barangay Labangon after the conduct of mass testing in the two barangays.

In Sitio Zapatera, Barrio Luz, five new cases were recorded after the mass testing of those who may have been in contact with the three positive cases initially recorded last weekend.

This brings the total of the positive cases in the sitio to eight patients, one of which is symptomatic and is currently in the hospital.

In Sito Zapatera alone, the Cebu City Health Department has tested over 100 individuals who had first and second-degree exposure to the first three cases recorded over the weekend.

In Sitio A.Lopez in Barangay Labangon, another case was also recorded by the Cebu City Health Department after they conducted mass testing in the area.

Labella has placed Sitio A. Lopez under lockdown to control the movement of the people and hopefully prevent the spread of the virus.

“We will bring the asymptomatic patients to the isolation rooms of the Cebu City Medical Center immediately,” said the mayor. The mass testing will continue to identify more positive cases of the COVID-19 and will now focus on the barangays with already recorded positive cases.

Daisy Villa, the City Health Officer, said this is why the quarantine centers are highly needed so those who are asymptomatic can be placed in the centers and be removed from the general populace.

She said that it is high time that the Bayanihan Center at General Maxilom Avenue be opened to patients. The target date is on Thursday, April 16, 2020.

The isolation centers would serve as protection for the spread of the COVID-19 in their communities although this is not a foolproof guarantee.

Villa said that contact tracing and testing should be the priority in the fight against the spread of the virus.  /rcg