City officials confirm local transmission of Covid-19

HEALTH authorities confirmed that they are already dealing with local transmission of the coronavirus in Cagayan de Oro City after they failed to identify the source of infection of three patients who died of coronavirus complications.

City epidemiologist Dr. Joey Retuya said based on data and in concurrence with the Department of Health (DOH), they have confirmed that there is already local transmission in the city.

"Ang local transmission is basically trying to look for sources of infection. Three na ka instances nga dili nato makita. Dili pareha sa first case who had travel history from an area where grabe ilang community transmission and ang second case from Davao but attributed to us, pero sure ta nga didto na-contract sa Davao," Retuya said.

Cagayan de Oro's three other cases involved the 69-year-old man from Barangay Camaman-an, the 21-year-old man from Barangay Lumbia, and the 61-year-old female from Barangay Carmen. All of whom have no travel history.

Mayor Oscar Moreno said he will leave it to the Inter-Agency Task Force's (IATF) decision if it is time to declare an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Cagayan de Oro.

"Ang decision sa unsa nga level of quarantine is not vested on the local government unit...sa ako unsay decision sa IATF, walay problema, we will abide," Moreno said.

Calls for the declaration of an ECQ or lockdown has been renewed after officials in the city declare a local transmission of the virus.

But Moreno lamented the calls of some groups equating local transmission to ECQ declaration.

"Gai-equate man gud labina sa, pasayloa lang, sa lain ang agenda, gihimo na nilang synonymous ang local transmission to ECQ. That has been the impression, the mind conditioning sa groups who have been pushing," he said.

"Ayaw kataranta, tungod kay muingon nga local transmission, ECQ na dayon. Ang ECQ, ang mag decide ana ang IATF, and not only the transmission per se because transmission is just one of the many factors, naay doubling the rate, health capacity, kung di makaya, lockdown na," he said.

Moreno assured the public that the CHO is doubling its efforts particularly in contact tracing.

"We remind our people na mao kana ang tubag, puyo sa balay, handwashing, face mask. Rest assured ang CHO gapaningkamot taman sa mahimo," he added.