100 patients in Luz to be released tomorrow

At least 63 of the 136 COVID-19 patients in Sitio Zapatera, Barangay Luz have been transferred to the Barrio Luz National High School for quarantine. | Photo courtesy of Councilor David Tumulak

CEBU CITY, Philippines — After more than two weeks of rising COVID-19 cases in Barangay Luz, Cebu City, the residents there now have something to rejoice as 100 of its 197 cases have now fully recovered.

Cebu City Administrator Floro Casas, Jr., reported to the City Council on Wednesday, May 6, 2020, that out of the 159 asymptomatic patients isolated at the Barrio Luz ElementarySchool, 100 has fully recovered.

“They tested negative twice to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) and we will release them tomorrow (May 7, 2020),” said Casas.

After testing negative to two subsequent testings, an isolated patient may already return home.

This would mean that only 59 individuals are left in the isolation center in Barrio Luz.

Casas also reported to the council that 25 public schools have been converted into quarantine centers for asymptomatic patients.

There are now at least 1,500 beds for all asymptomatic patients, which is more than enough for the current 1,280 number of cases in the city.

However, some of the councilors expressed dismay on the lag on the isolation of the patients.

Councilor Nestor Archival said that the delay in the transfer of asymptomatic patients has caused the surge of cases in the city.

“Because we transferred them too late, we now have this dilemma of surging cases,” said Archival.

Casas said the city is only following the protocol of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) that asymptomatic patients may be home-quarantined if their house has an isolated room.

Archival urged the city executive department to analyze if the protocol is applicable in a given situation such as in Barangay Luz and Barangay Mambaling.

He said the city should act with what is best for its people. /rcg