Garcia warns: ‘No one is exempt from COVID-19’

Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia | CDND file photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A total of 23 new cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has been logged in Cebu this Wednesday, April 15, 2020.

The new cases include 22 from Cebu City and one from Mandaue City, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia announced in her regular press conference Wednesday afternoon.

Garcia clarified that the latest update of the Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH-7) rectified the earlier announcement that there are 23 new cases in Cebu City.

“This is the latest from DOH. They reviewed their results and realized that one was a repeat test. Busa, 22 ang new [in Cebu City],” Garcia said.

Quoting a report from the DOH-7, Garcia said 216 test results were released by the subnational laboratory of Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC SNL) this Wednesday. Of the number 188 were negative while 28 returned positive.

The positive results include 25 from Cebu City, 2 from Lapu-Lapu City and one from Mandaue City. The three results from Cebu City and two from Lapu-Lapu, however, are repeat tests from previously identified COVID-19 patients.

DOH-7 has yet to issue an official advisory on the details of the new cases.

“Karong adlawa ang resulta nato sa mga na-tested maoy labing makapabalaka. Sukad nagsugod ang testing, karon ang pinakadako nga increase [in the number of cases] in one day,” Garcia said.

Aside from the wider scope of COVID-19 testing that is now being done, the governor said the living condition of the community in Barangay Luz in Cebu City, where over 20 confirmed cases have been reported, is also contributory to the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases here.

Garcia renewed her call for the public to stay home amid this development.

“Makabalaka kaayo ang resulta. Nikalit og kadaghan. Kadaghanan niadtong positibo naa sa Sitio Zapatera. Akong hangyo sa makausa pa, tabangi intawon ang inyong usag usa ka pamilya, ang inyong kaugalingon. Dili unta manggawas kung dili gikinahanglan,” Garcia said.

She added that those who think they are “exempted” from contracting COVID-19 should realize otherwise before it is too late.

“Kung ang uban ninyo naghunahuna nga mahitabo ra na sa ubang tawo ug dili kaninyo, tingali unya og makalitan na lang mo sa makalilisang nga kamatuoran nga way gipili ang coronavirus,” Garcia said.

“Dili nato makita [ang coronavirus] apan ang bacteria makakita nato ug nahibaw og asa motugdon. Di raba mopili og kinsay tugdonan,” she added. /rcg

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