PUBLIC markets and supermarkets are the major sources of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) infection in Cebu City in terms of outside transmission.
Based on the data of the Cebu City Emergency Operations Center (EOC), from Sept. 5 to Sept. 18, 2020, there were 41 Covid-19 infections from the public markets and supermarkets.
This accounts for 24.40 percent of the outside transmission.
On Sept. 16, the EOC recorded nine Covid-19 cases, the highest number of cases which have been acquired from the public markets and supermarkets.
The general source, which refers to the source of infection coming from various sectors and areas including the locally-stranded individuals (LSIs) and Authorized Person Outside of Residence (Apor), has also been noted to be one of the major sources of infection.
The general source also accounts for 24.4 percent of the total infection from the outside transmission.
Next to the general source and public markets and supermarkets is the workplace and work-related accounting for 21.42 percent.
Thirty-four Covid-19 cases were acquired from the workplace, while there were two are workplace-related.
Outside transmission, according to the Cebu City Councilor Joel Garganera, refers to the transmission which comes from the markets, barangay halls, and other areas where a crowd can gather.
The household transmission, meanwhile, is at 36.36 percent. Garganera, the EOC deputy chief implementer, said the EOC is also looking at the rising trend involving the construction work industry which was seen to have an increasing number of Covid-19 case transmission.
On Sept. 15, 15 reported construction workers tested positive for Covid-19.
Garganera said the index case, or the case who first tested positive, was the foreman of the project.
He said since the construction workers are staying at a bunkhouse, the first patient had spread the virus to 14 other workers.
The foreman was one of the four construction workers, who work from different projects in the city, have acquired the virus.
Because of this, Garganera said there is a need to establish clearer protocols for the construction works and its workers, for both private and public construction projects.
Garganera will meet with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW), and Cebu Contractors Association on Sept. 21 to discuss the construction site-related protocols.
“We need to define its health and safety protocols,” said Garganera.
Other outside transmissions that are considered to be a source of infection are the hospitals or the health care workers; neighborhood transmission; window shopping and hospital-acquired; delivery services; carenderia; dialysis centers, laboratories, and other related centers; and lastly are prison facilities.
The number of Covid-19-free barangays in Cebu City has also been reduced to 29 as of Sept. 19.
Based on the Department of Health (DOH) Central Visayas data on Sept. 19, Cebu City has a total of 9,881 Covid-19 cases.
The city has 377 active cases, 8,839 total recoveries and mortalities reached 665.
Last week, 38 barangays in the city were declared Covid-19-free, but a week later, 51 out of 80 barangays have currently active Covid-19 cases.
The number of individuals in the city who were tested using the real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has already reached 61, 389.
Garganera said “everything is so fragile,” thus, he urged the public not to be complacent. “...di gyud mokompyansa and be accountable to each other,” he said./JJL