The Cebu City government implemented thermal scanning in areas that are considered entry points to the city. | CDND File Photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Cebu City Government on Monday, August 9, announced it is mulling to reimpose border controls, which is among the new recommendations they have identified to curb the spread of COVID-19 here.
Acting City Mayor Michael Rama said they are also planning to meet with the local chief executives of Mandaue City, Lapu-Lapu City, and Cebu province to enforce border controls for non-essential travels.
“We will again connect with Gov. Gwen Garcia, Mayors Jonas Cortes and Ahong Chan to discuss border control, particularly in our ports, over non-essentials and some passengers getting through,” said Rama.
The city held another multi-sectoral meeting last Sunday, August 8, to discuss more measures in addressing the continued rise of COVID-19 cases here, especially with the threat of the more transmissible Delta variant or the B.1.167.2 mutation of the SARS-COV-2 virus.
Aside from planning to intensify border controls, the city government also wanted places of worship to reduce its maximum capacity for physical attendance when joining religious activities from the current 30 percent to only 10 percent.
They are also urging business establishments to reimpose the work-from-home arrangement.
The latest COVID-19 bulletin from the Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH-7) showed that the city’s active cases jumped to 3,640 as of August 8.
This after the city logged 200 additional patients on the same day.
Mortalities related to the infection, on the other hand, has already reached a total of 987 after recording nine new deaths.
Cebu City has shifted to a stricter Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) since August 1.
RELATED STORIES
4 Cebu City workers found positive for COVID-19, stopped in Samboan port
132 Cebu City resident frontliners hit with COVID-19
Cebu City hospitals overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients