4 LSIs test positive for COVID-19 after arriving in Cebu City
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Emergency Operations Center (EOC) reiterated its stand that locally stranded individuals (LSIs) and private Authorized Personnel Outside of Residence (APOR) must undergo 14-day home quarantine.
This after four LSIs from unspecified regions in the country tested positive for the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) after undergoing swab tests upon docking in the ports of Cebu City in the last ten days.
EOC deputy chief implementor Joel Garganera, also a city councilor, said these LSIs have been accounted for and have been isolated in their homes or in isolation centers.
With this, the EOC reminds LSIs that when they arrive in Cebu City, they must undergo home quarantine. They must not go to work or go around so that if they should test positive, contact tracers won’t have a tough time tracing their contacts.
“We cannot afford a slip-up or a mistake. That is why we are strictly monitoring our borders and LSI entry,” said Garganera.
At least 200 LSIs will finish their home quarantine this week and will be allowed to go out and work.
For Metro Manila LSIs coming to Cebu, Garganera said they have to be stricter since the number of active cases at the National Capital Region is still high.
Aside from the mandatory quarantine, the LSIs and private APORs from Metro Manila have to be swabbed for polymerase chain reaction test (PCR) in Cebu City.
Temporary APORs who will not stay long in Cebu City must undergo PCR test in Metro Manila before going to Cebu City and they must also have a letter of coordination with the barangay of their destination for proper monitoring.
Only the temporary APORs who will are tested negative to the PCR test in Manila will be allowed to travel to Cebu City.
Garganera said this type of strict measure must be set up to ensure that the number of cases in Cebu City will not rise again.
On September 2, 2020, Cebu City recorded only six new COVID-19 cases. The number of active cases is down to 598.
The challenge for Cebu City is to lower the number of active cases and reduce the spread of the virus, says the councilor. /bmjo
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