CEBU City appears to be gaining ground in the fight against the new coronavirus (Covid-19) as more patients have recovered from the disease and achieving an almost 50 percent recovery rate.
Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella announced Tuesday, June 2, 2020, that 165 asymptomatic Covid-19 positive have recovered from the disease.
As of June 2, 2020, Cebu City has a total of 1,160 recoveries or a 49 percent recovery rate, higher than the country's 21.3 percent recovery rate.
The mayor said the city has a total of 1,129 active cases as of Tuesday.
The Cebu City Health Department also recorded 89 new cases from 20 barangays that already have existing cases.
The 89 new cases are from barangays Basak Pardo (1), Bulacao (1), Calamba (8), Camputhaw( 1), Capitol ( 1), Carreta (1), Duljo(7), Ermita (23), Sawang Calero (1), Kinasang-an (1), Labangon(2), Lahug (1), Mabolo (9), Mambaling (5), Punta(1), Sambag-2(5), Sambag-1(1), Suba(2), Tejero (15) ug Pasil (3).
The mayor explained that even with the new cases, the city's situation is getting better as more people recovered from the virus than those infected in the last two weeks.
Labella said even if the city is already under general community quarantine, he still urged the public to stay at home unless the reason for going out is needed.
Meanwhile, the mayor also distributed one sack of rice each for the 1,000 public utility jeepney (PUJ) drivers in the city.
The mayor decided to release the rice assistance after the Land Transportation, Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) did not allow PUJ drivers to operate.
On the other hand, Department of Transportation (DOTr) Assistant Secretary Mark Richmund de Leon explained that jeepney operation and habal-habal are considered high-risk for Covid-19 transmission.
"May old jeepney ba na naka-automatic fare collection? Wala diba, nagpapasahan sila nang barya. Kong ang kasama mo may Covid siyempre nagpasahan kayo nang barya, very dirty na yong barya tapos may Covid pa, delikado talaga, " de Leon said.
"For now wala muna sila (old jeepney) sa kalsada, ang mga modern jeepneys tapos iyong mga buses for now if insufficient iyan then saka nila papayagan (yong old jeepney) kong hindi sufficient 'yong public transport," the DOTr assistant secretary added. (PAC, MVG)