Talamban couple presumptive positive for COVID-19, entire leisure center quarantined

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A couple, said to be presumptive positive of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) infection, caused an entire leisure center to be quarantined.

This was the revelation of Cebu City Health Officer Daisy Villa on the sudden isolation of a leisure center in Barangay Talamban in Cebu City.

Villa said the isolation of the establishment and the 25 people including its staff is a precautionary measure as the couple awaits their confirmatory results from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM).

“If their results are negative, that’s great news for us. But if their results are positive, at least everyone in the area has been quarantined already,” she said.

The purpose of the strict quarantine is to ensure everyone in the center will not be exposed to other people in the barangay for the time being. She said the city must limit their mobility around the barangay, thus the police are stationed in the area 24/7.

Hot zone

The police call the quarantined area a hot zone area.

As for the couple, Villa said they are now admitted to the hospital with symptoms of the virus. They are among the 12 presumptive cases of Covid-19 in the city that are being monitored.

Some of them are currently admitted if they have symptoms while the others are on the process of discharge. One of them has been discharged after recovery from symptoms.

Still, all of them are being monitored awaiting their results from the RITM.

Villa said the City Health continues to monitor the presumptive cases closely, and assured the public of the protection of front-liners with enough personal protective equipment.

She also urged the public to avoid the hot zone so they will not be exposed to the virus. /rcg