A police official inspects the Cebu City Jail in this February 26, 2020 photo. Today, 23 new cases of COVID-19 have been recorded at the jail.| Contributed photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The number of COVID-19 cases in the jail facilities in Barangay Kalunasan, Cebu City, has begun to rise again.
Lawyer Rey Gealon, Cebu City spokesperson and legal officer, said that there were 23 new cases from the jail facilities in the barangay mostly from the Cebu City Jail.
Gealon said this was expected as the facilities were overpopulated and social distancing was close to impossible inside the jails.
Eventhough the positive patients of COVID-19 had been placed in a separate building, Gealon said the spread would be quicker compared to that outside of the facilities.
Aside from the jail facilities in Kalunasan, other urban barangays also recorded new cases of the virus.
Barangays Capitol Site, Mambaling, Sawang Calero, Suba, Ermita, Lahug, and San Nicolas recorded one new case each.
Barangay Bulacao recorded two new cases, making the total number of new cases in the city at 32.
The total number COVID-19 cases in Cebu City is now at 1,814 with nine deaths.
At least 114 have already recovered from the illness. /dbs