CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Lapu-Lapu City government is considering an “early” lifting of its enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) if there will be no more additional cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19 in the city and the two active cases will have recovered.
In a news release on Thursday, April 16, Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard Chan said the city will be funding the massive testing for all its persons under monitoring (PUMs), patients under investigation (PUIs) and Influenza-like Illness (ILI) patients soon.
According to the city’s Public Information Office (PIO), the massive testing will begin once the city’s third and fourth patient will be cleared from COVID-19.
In the news release, the PIO quoted Chan as saying: “Masaligon man ta nga sayo ma-negative ang (patient) 3rd ug (patient) 4th, before sa deadline.”
If none of the results from the massive testing will return positive, the PIO said the mayor may already lift the ECQ ahead of the April 28 original expiration date.
“Testing will be free, at the City’s expense. After getting the results within three days and without any positive case, the mayor may lift ECQ,” the news release reads.
Lapu-Lapu City has a total of four COVID-19 cases as of April 15. The first two patients have fully recovered, the third patient is awaiting a second laboratory negative test, while the fourth patient is still recovering.
Patient no. 4 is an employee of Lapu-Lapu City Hall who is part of the city’s relief operations during the ECQ.
Earlier today, Chan has also announced that his test results for COVID-19 returned negative. /rcg