Cebu City may go back to MGCQ by October if…

Colon Street in downtown Cebu City. CDN Digital photo | Brian J. Ochoa

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH-7) shared the same sentiments with health officials from Cebu City that it may transition to a more lenient quarantine status by October.

But only if it can sustain its gains by ensuring minimum health standards are regularly followed, and more individuals are getting vaccinated.

“If the community (is) very cooperative in terms of minimum public health standards, I see why not. Plus vaccination (so) I think there is a great chance it will push through,” said Dr. Eugenia Mercedes Cañal, head of the Regional Epidemiological Surveillance Unit (Resu).

Cañal, during a virtual briefing on Thursday, September 23, reported that the number of new COVID-19 cases in the city continues in a downward trend.

“In the tri-cities of Cebu, we really see a great decline in the number of total cases,” said Cañal.

Data from Resu showed that Cebu City recorded a decrease of 43 percent in the total number of additional cases in the past two weeks.

Active cases of the infection in the city, as of September 22, stood at 2,429, based on DOH-7’s latest bulletin. They als0 recorded more recoveries, at 132, than additional cases of COVID-19 which were at 69.

The city’s EOC, earlier this week, said they are hopeful the city will transition to the most relaxed form of community quarantine – Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) – by October.

Cebu City is currently placed under GCQ after spending a month and seven days under a stricter Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) due to a surge of cases. /rcg

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