49 of 80 barangays in Cebu City now COVID-free

Cebu City’s EOC is asking organizers of the different political events here to ensure compliance with health and safety protocols to prevent another increase in COVID-19 cases.  The recent Arat na Cebu concert at the Cebu City Sports Center attracted thousands of spectators.| Courtesy of the Arat na Cebu concert organizers

CEBU CITY, Philippines — More than half of the 80 barangays in Cebu City no longer have active cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

The Cebu City Emergency Operations Center (EOC) said they no longer received reports on new transmissions in 49 barangays in the last 10 to 14 days.

EOC data shows that as of Monday, April 4, the city only has 57 active cases of the infection.

COVID-19 cases in the city peaked at about 4, 000 in the January 2022, but it has been on a downtrend since, according to Councilor Joel Garganera, the EOC’s deputy chief implementer.

“Fifty-seven nalang ang atong case unya 49 na ka barangays ang walay reported transmission out of [the] 80. This is good, as we open up and more activities are allowed at full capacity, with political gatherings [that] are happening left and right. [But] let us not be out of focus with our number one enemy and that is complacency, ” Garganera said.

Garganera said that to date, the city is at the peak of its health with very minimal active cases.  The critical care occupancy rate in private hospitals is also low at 2.15 percent 12.32 percent for public hospitals.

The city’s mortality was only limited to 12 for the entire month of March.

Garcia said it is important for the city to maintain its current status to also keep its Alert Level 1 status.

Eventually, a continuous drop in active cases here and the rest of the country would lead to the lifting of the public emergency status and the infection would soon be considered a mere endemic instead of a pandemic.

But in order for this to happen, Garganera is reminding all Cebuanos of the need to continue to comply with health protocols for their protection.

“Still we have to comply with the basic health protocols,” he said.

Garganera said the city government is also grateful for the effort of the organizers of the different gatherings here, to comply with safety protocols.

And while they anticipate more political gatherings in the coming days and before the campaign season comes to an end, the EOC is urging the public and event organizers to be vigilant at all times.

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