Cebu City health personnel transfer patients from Barangay Labangon to their designated Barangay Isolation Center. | File Photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Active cases in Cebu City is now at 1, 588.
Of these, 366 were logged on Saturday, January 15, data from the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) show.
Anticipating detection of more cases in the coming days, Mayor Michael Rama said they will be opening more isolation facilities to function as a Temporary Treatment and Monitoring Facility (TTMF) and accommodate those who are experiencing symptoms of the infection.
Rama said they are now in talks with the Archdiocese of Cebu on the possible use of the IC3 Pavillion in Barangay Mabolo as an isolation facility.
“I have already connected with Archbishop Jose Palma and with Edmiun Liu, [to discuss use of the IC3] which is also a facility that will be [made] available [for COVID patients],” said the mayor.
EOC has so far identified three isolation centers that are located at the City Central School and in Barangays Zapatera, and Labangon.
Two more will be opened soon in Barangays Mambaling and Mabolo.
On Friday, January 14, 2022, Councilor Joel Garganera, the EOC’s deputy chief implementer, said the city’s daily positivity rate is now rapidly increasing.
It was at its highest at 27.11 percent since the start of the pandemic in March 2022.
But deaths remain low with only two recorded since Jan. 1, 2022.
Also hospital occupancy remains at a minimum or still at a manageable level.
“Its [the cases are] rising but our hospitals are at a very minimum occupancy and mortalities so far claimed 2 lives, elderly immunocompromised. We are expecting this to rise for the next 2 weeks or so, so we’re expecting everyone’s cooperation, we should be in this together, together in our protocol compliance,” Garganera said.
The city has already released updated guidelines for implementation under Alert Level 3 and in compliance with directives from the Interagency Task Force (IATF).
Rama gave the assurance that the city will continue to focus on its typhoon recovery efforts, the very reason why he refuses to order the implementation of additional restrictions here.
In support of the city’s anti-COVID and post Odette recovery efforts, Rama is urging Cebuanos to cooperate with the city government and continue to secure their homes by observing health and safety protocols.
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