ON THE day Cebu City began what was to be a month-long Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) on March 28, 2020, the City reported its first 19 coronavirus disease cases.
Four weeks later, the number of cases has skyrocketed to 411.
The city’s first 20 cases were spread out in 12 barangays: Babag (1 case), Banilad (3), Camputhaw (1), Capitol (1), Cogon Ramos (1), Guadalupe (4), Kinasang-an (2), Mambaling (1), Oprra, (1), Sta. Cruz (1), Sambag 2 (2) and Talamban (2).
Four Saturdays later, on April 25, Covid-19 had reached 21 of the city’s 80 barangays.
With the virus rapidly spreading, Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella has extended the city’s ECQ until May 15.
Responsible for the explosion of cases in the city are clusters in two areas not initially hit by the novel coronavirus: Barangay Luz and Barangay Kalunasan, home to the Cebu City Jail.
Here is how the events in these two clusters unfolded.
BARANGAY LUZ
Number of cases: 140
First case reported: April 7, 2020
The first patient: A walk-in patient at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) who had himself tested for the virus three days after attending a wake that had also been attended by a relative from Manila.
Possible reasons for rapid spread of the virus: Density of houses in the area, lack of public awareness and the limited water supply in Sitio Zapatera, according to resident Reino Ventura.
Lack of monitoring, added another resident, who said no one monitored the house of the first patient, so that even after he tested positive, his family members continued to go about their daily routine.
April 7, 2020
The first coronavirus disease (Covid-19) case is reported in Sitio Zapatera, Barangay Luz. The densely populated sitio of 9,000 residents is placed under lockdown.
April 11, 2020
The second and third Covid-19 cases in the sitio—the live-in partner and drinking buddy of the first case—test positive. Since the two are asymptomatic, they are placed under home quarantine. The drinking buddy lives in a house with 12 other people.
April 14-17, 2020
Sitio Zapatera records 132 more cases. Most are asymptomatic.
April 17, 2020
With Barangay Luz now having 135 cases, all in Sitio Zapatera, Mayor Labella orders a lockdown of the entire barangay, which has around 31,200 residents, 90 percent of whom are considered “poor” by Barangay Captain Ronilio Sab-a.
Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH 7) Director Jaime Bernadas says some of the patients have been admitted at the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC).
April 18, 2020
The sitio records one new case.
April 19, 2020
Cebu City Health Officer Daisy Villa says of the sitio’s 136 cases, one is admitted at the VSMMC, five are at the CCMC, while 130 are in home quarantine.
April 22, 2020
Barangay Luz reports three infections in Sitio Cabantan.
Luz Barangay Secretary Eldebrian Arañez says 55 of Sitio Zapatera’s 136 Covid-19 patients have been transferred to rooms in the Luz National High School, but 75 others refused to be transferred as they preferred home quarantine.
April 24, 2020
One new case is reported in Cabantan, raising the total count in the barangay to 140.
BARANGAY KALUNASAN
Number of cases: 208, of which 207 are in the Cebu City Jail.
First case reported: April 19, 2020
The first patients: Two jail inmates, and two Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) 7 officers, although the Cebu City Health Department (CCHD) classified one of the inmates and one of the jail officers under other barangays.
Possible reason for rapid spread of the virus: Jail congestion. The jail capacity is 523, but its current population is 6,604, said Jail Supt. Renante Rubio, chairman of the BJMP 7 Task Force Covid-19.
March 18, 2020
Two days into Cebu City’s State of General Community Quarantine to combat Covid-19, Mayor Labella suspends the visiting privileges of inmates in the Cebu City Jail and Operation Second Chance Center.
April 16, 2020
Through a barangay resolution, relatives are prohibited from dropping off at the jail items like medicine and food requested by inmates.
April 17, 2020
Barangay Kalunasan restricts entry of non-residents.
April 19, 2020
The first inmate from the Cebu City Jail tests positive for the novel coronavirus, after dying at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center. He was the same person counted as the second Covid-19 patient from Barangay Mambaling since it was his address before he was imprisoned on Feb. 28.
April 20, 2020
The CCHD records the first case in Barangay Kalunasan. A second inmate from the jail has tested positive. Two BJMP 7 officers also test positive. One of them is a 26-year-old female who was the third Covid-19 patient from Barangay Labangon, which was announced on April 17. The jail officer had gone to a hospital in the city to accompany an inmate. That was her last activity before she developed symptoms of the influenza-like illness.
April 22, 2020
Cebu City reports 124 new infections in the jail. The BJMP 7 says 13 of its personnel have now been infected. Mayor Labella says the spike in cases is a result of the mass testing done in the city.
April 23, 2020
Two new cases are reported in the jail. To protect inmates and jail personnel, the City Government turns over 1,500 face masks and 200 face shields. Jail Supt. Renante Rubio says they’ve isolated those who tested positive and the inmates they’d been in contact with, in separate wards.
April 24-25, 2020
Eighty more cases are reported, raising the number of cases in the jail to 207.
Barangays Luz and Kalunasan are a cautionary tale that even with all guns already trained at the virus, it won’t easily be thwarted. (CTL)
