Lapu-Lapu City’s COVID-19 cases now ‘alarming’ – Chan

City logs 83 cases, 5 deaths in just 5 days

A nine-year-old girl was recently added to the city’s COVID-19 recoveries.| Photo courtesy of Nagiel Bañacia

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu — The increase in the number of cases of the coronavirus disease in Lapu-Lapu City has already reached an “alarming” level.

Both Mayor Junard Chan and Nagiel Bañacia, head of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO), shared the observation in separate Facebook posts on Friday, June 19, 2020.

Bañacia said that what was more disturbing was that the city logged five COVID-19 related deaths in a period of five days, from June 14 to 18.

“Although, the reporting of the COVID fatality was released late for some [who] died earlier on the above dates, but still they died. It would cause a great concern and it would have [a] big impact on our community, as Mayor Ahong Chan would always remind me.”

Alarming Level

Lapu-Lapu City logged 83 cases of the infection with five deaths from June 14 to June 18.

Below is the city’s list of confirmed cases of infection in the last five days.

• June 14 – 12 positive cases, 2 deaths
• June 15 – 18 positive cases, 1 death
• June 16 – 12 cases, 1 death
• June 17 – 22 cases, 1 death
• June 18 – 19 cases, no death

“Alarming na kaayo ang atong numero maong doble na ang atong pag-strikto sa pagpatuman sa atong balaod,” Chan said in a Facebook post Friday night.

(The numbers are alarming so we are doubling our efforts to strictly implement the law.)

Chan said that COVID-19 cases in the city is something that should be taken seriously.

“Kinahanglan kita nga mag binantayon  ug dili mokumpyansa. Ipadakop nako ang dili mosul-ob ug face masks ug walay Qpass,”he said.

(We should all be vigilant and not to be complacent. I will order the arrests of anyone, who is not wearing any face masks and no Qpass [quarantine pass].)

“The figures are very disturbing for the PCR test results have a minimum of 12 patients per day since Sunday, 14th of June until yesterday the 18th,” Bañacia said.

Self-discipline

Bañacia said that what the city needed at this time are more cases of COVID-19 recoveries just like the nine-year-old girl from Sitio Lasang in Barangay Basak who was recently discharged from the Lapu-Lapu City Hospital.

“We need more discharges of COVID patients from the hospitals and isolation facilities,” he said.

The city government, Bañacia said, also needed the cooperation of Oponganons in their fight against the dreaded disease.

“The war is not complicated as you may understand it. The battlefield is not anywhere else. It is within your midst. And you don’t need a powerful weapon. It is very simple – SELF discipline,” he said

“How to wage the war and win it? Simple, please observe or do the following; 1. wear your face mask or face shield always, 2. wash your hands constantly with alcohol or water and soap, 3. disinfect the constantly touched surfaces, 4. maintain social distance and 5. be a Big Brother or Sister in your neighborhood. Rally your family members, relatives and friends to join you in this war.”

Bañacia said that the fight against COVID-19 cannot be won if  we “leave the fight to the government and frontliners.”

“Stop complaining. Stop blaming, Please, Do your share. You must do your big share by observing the above tactics of war. We cannot win the war without you. As Oponganons you are descendants of a great warrior. There is warrior in your blood as the great grandchildren of Lapu-Lapu,” he said./dbs