Workers from the Cebu City Health Department took swab samples from residents in Sitio Callejon, Barangay Labangon where 22 COVID-19 patients are recorded. | Photo courtesy of Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The total lockdown in Sitio Mahayahay along A. Lopez Street in Barangay Labangon has been lifted by Barangay Captain Victor Buendia.
Buendia told CDN Digital that the results of the recent swab tests of the two infected families and their neighbors had already returned negative.
This means that as of now the sitio is safe, and residents can go out of their area to buy their basic needs and other goods.
Similarly, the total lockdown in a sitio near Katipunan Street has also been lifted since the infected individual and his nearest contacts have proven negative to the virus.
Read more: Brgys Labangon, Luz no longer part of rapid testing – Labella
Despite the lifting of the total lockdown, the entire barangay’s borders are still closed to outsiders to ensure that the virus will not come back to the previously infected areas.
Buendia encouraged the residents of the two sitios to behave and still stay at home, avoid leaving the barangay, and avoid visiting other sitios so the virus would not return to their areas.
“If magkiat sila, nya mobalik ang virus sa ilaha, aw lockdown balik. (If they misbehave, and the virus returns in their area, then they will be placed in another lockdown again),” said Buendia.
Sitio Callejon was still under lockdown, says Buendia, because the area had been wide and densely packed.
He also wants to ensure that all individuals are already negative of the virus before lifting the lockdown.
Buendia said that he was worried that if the lockdown would be lifted prematurely, the virus would spread to the rest of Labangon, and at this point, the treasury of the barangay cannot sustain anymore outbreaks.
“Modagan pa nig usa ka bulan, bankrupt na gyod mi. (If this runs for another month, we will be bankrupt),” said the village chief.
He hopes that the virus will finally leave the barangay and the entire city so lives can go back to normal or at least continue again. /dbs