Mandaue logs average of 5 COVID-19 cases per day since last week

MANDAUE CITY, Philippines- The Mandaue City Emergency Operations Center (EOC) has recorded an average of five cases of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) per day since last week.

However, the city’s COVID-19 positivity rate remains below three percent for the past two months, the EOC revealed.

Lawyer Lizer Malate, head of the city’s EOC, said that some of the cases were from the swab testing conducted by business establishments on their employees as businesses are now allowed to conduct their own testing.

The EOC believes that the slight increase in cases was due to the long weekend three weeks ago on the celebration of All Souls’ Day and All Saints’ Day.

“Naa tay gamay nga pagsaka, ang analysis ani nila (contact tracing team) kay tungod kuno daw during the long weekend nga niagi, All Souls’ and All Saints’ day basin daw nagcongregate ang mga tawo, possible kano didto also the trend we see right now, nantrabaho sa mga establishments,” Malate said.

He added that the Business Processing Licensing Office (BPLO) is working closely with the business establishments to ensure that minimum health standards are being followed in the workplace.

Aside from this, Malate said that every month they have a zoom meeting with the barangay captains regarding the city’s COVID-19 status and the actions taken to fight the virus.

The EOC is also reminding the barangay chiefs to constantly remind their constituents to not be complacent and to always practice the minimum health protocols like social distancing and the wearing of face masks and face shields./rcg

Lizer Malate, head of the Mandaue City Emergency Operations Center. | Photo by Mary Rose Sagarino