Garcia: ‘Flattening the curve still far from sight’
CEBU CITY, Philippines — An improvement on the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) situation in Cebu that could decide whether it is time to go business, as usual, is still not in sight, said Governor Gwendolyn Garcia on Tuesday, April 14, 2020.
As of 5 p.m., the Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH-7) reported seven new cases of COVID-19 in the cities of Cebu and Lapu-Lapu bringing the total number of cases in the entire province to 40.
This development also brought the total number of cases in the region to 45, with 8 deaths
The health department also reported one additional recovery of a patient in Cebu province, which means there are now 23 patients who recovered from COVID-19 in the region.
“As far as the province is concerned, we really, really hope that the situation will improve but well, the thing is, sa Cebu City, napun-an na man gani hinuon. We are hoping for an improvement but we are not yet seeing this improvement,” Garcia said.
Garcia also made the statement following the announcement of a university in Cebu City on their plan to resume classes on May 4 or six days after the ECQ in Cebu City will have expired.
The school, however, clarified that the schedule of the resumption of their classes will be dependent on any future pronouncement that will be made by the city government and other government agencies.
“Whatever they might think is theoretically possible, I hope that they will also translate that to reality.You can always say ‘Let’s resume.’ That sounds so good. Ato nang ablihan og balik because education is so important. And it is, to persons who are still alive,” Garcia said.
Garcia said that the present situation in the city is still far from the goal to flatten the curve.
“We are not seeing the curve flattened yet. In fact, it is rising. And yet, we already speak about a date nga ato nang ablihan ang mga universities?” Garcia said.
Since Cebu City is an independent city, it is free to lift or to extend its ECQ irrespective of the province’s ECQ which has no expiration date so far.
But Garcia said that if schools in the city will reopen, the students may either have to stay in Cebu City for as long as the ECQ in the province is in effect or be absent for 14 days if they choose to come home. /rcg
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