AROUND 189 households in the small island-barangay of Hilotongan in Bantayan town, northern Cebu, were placed under granular lockdown starting Thursday, Oct. 22, 2020.
This following an increase in Covid-19 cases after the residents reportedly attended social gatherings which exposed them to active coronavirus cases.
In a post on the town’s official Facebook page, Bantayan Mayor Arthur Despi and town health officials disclosed that of the households, 158 are residents of Sitio Bayabas while 31 are from Sitio Kapayas.
Rural health officials said they will remain on lockdown until Oct. 26, 2020 or until the active cases reported in the barangay have recovered.
Relief packs from the Department of Social Welfare and Development along with 10 kilos of rice from the Municipal Government will be given to the residents while on lockdown, officials said.
The town’s rural health unit reported that as of Oct. 22, the number of active cases in Bantayan has increased to 26 from nine last week. Most of the cases are from Barangay Hilotongan.
Active cases were also reported in Barangays Ticad, Sillon, Sulangan and Bantigue.
The town has 42 recorded recoveries and one fatality.
In Mandaue City, barangay officials are being called on to closely coordinate with the city’s contact tracing team to prevent the spread of the Covid-19.
The appeal came as two workers from a resort and a hotel, respectively, tested positive for coronavirus disease in Barangay Jagobiao and infected some members of their families.
Julius Ceasar Entise, head of Mandaue City’s contact tracing team, said it has become common in Mandaue City for the Covid-19 infection to be transmitted among family members.
In the case of the two families in Barangay Jagobiao, Entise said they have been placed under home quarantine to contain the further spread of the virus.
/ ANV/JKV, KFD