THE Cebu City Council has urged the management of hotels, restaurants, malls and passenger terminals to ensure that their comfort rooms and washing areas are clean.
The local legislative body asked them to provide adequate amenities, such as running water, antibacterial soap, alcohol-based sanitizer, hand dryer or clean wipes and tissue. These establishments are also enjoined to post signage or posters in their comfort rooms or washing areas indicating steps in proper handwashing.
The City Council approved the resolution on Wednesday, Feb. 5. 2020, as most of the persons who were placed under investigation for the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in the Philippines had a travel history in Cebu.
Councilor Alvin Dizon, author of the resolution, said the measure is a way to protect the public from the new deadly respiratory illness.
On Friday, Feb. 7, the Department of Health (DOH) announced the death of a 57-year-old Chinese man, the third person under investigation (PUI) for the 2019-nCoV.
The first Chinese national tagged as a PUI in the Philippines, a 29-year-old male, tested negative for the 2019-nCoV. The patient, who tested positive for the human immunodeficiency virus, succumbed to pneumonia.
The second Chinese male, who was 44 and also a PUI, tested positive for the 2019-nCoV. He was the first recorded 2019-nCoV death outside China. The man had traveled with a 38-year-old Chinese woman, who was identified as the first confirmed 2019-nCoV case in the country.
The fatalities were confined at the San Lazaro Hospital in Manila. The Chinese woman remains confined at the same medical facility.
Dizon said his resolution is in line with the DOH advisory, which urges local government units to take precautionary measures against the deadly virus by avoiding crowded places, washing hands properly and drinking adequate water.
He said Cebu City is one of the top tourist destinations in Central Visayas and it has several commercial establishments that are frequented by locals and foreigners. (JJL)