DUE to its increasing number of Covid-19 cases, Cebu City may have to extend its general community quarantine (GCQ) status beyond the June 15, 2020 schedule.

Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella told SunStar Cebu that he is considering not loosening the City’s quarantine classification just yet.

Labella attributes the continued rise in Covid-19 cases in the city to the continuous contact tracing and rapid testing being conducted.

"We don’t want to loosen up yet and we want to continue tightening up, continue our GCQ status because if we will be classified as modified GCQ, cinemas will open, contact sports will be allowed. I think Cebu City is not ready because of the continuing rise in our cases,” Labella said.

Labella said with more people coming out of their homes during the GCQ and some commercial establishments reopening, the City cannot be complacent amid the need to balance its Covid-19 preparations and the local economy that has been greatly affected by the lockdown.

"We should not be complacent. Although we have 60 percent recovery rate and the lowest mortality rate in the country, there are also many positives from the backlogs on the previous massive testing and contact tracing," Labella said.

Cebu City will appeal for an extension of the GCQ if the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) decides to downgrade its quarantine status to modified GCQ after June 15.

However, he will abide by the IATF’s final decision, Labella said. (PAC, JKV)