CEBU City Mayor Edgardo Labella has ordered the reopening of two barangay isolation centers (BICs) to anticipate a surge of Covid-19 cases in the city.
The reactivation of the two BICs in Barangays Mambaling and Zapatera is meant to ensure that the city’s Covid-19 facilities will not be overwhelmed should more coronavirus cases crop up in the coming days, said Councilor Joel Garganera, deputy chief implementer of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC).
Garganera said that as of Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021, a total of 171 Covid-19 patients were being treated at the New Normal Oasis for Adaptation and a Home (Noah) complex at the South Road Properties (SRP). The Noah Complex has a total bed capacity of 300.
Garganera said Covid-19 patients who are asymptomatic will be brought to the BICs, while those with mild to moderate symptoms will be admitted to the Noah Complex or the Bayanihan Center at the IEC Convention Center in Barangay Luz.
Garganara said he hopes to see a downtrend in cases after the long holidays have passed and for as long as the minimum health protocol is continuously implemented.
From Dec. 29 to Jan. 11, Cebu City recorded 372 active coronavirus cases.
Mandaue City
Meanwhile, Mayor Jonas Cortes said he will not recommend the tightening of Mandaue City’s quarantine level despite a rise in Covid-19 cases there.
Since September, the Inter-Agency Task Force has placed the city under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) from its general community quarantine (GCQ) status earlier.
Cortes said the recent spike of cases in Mandaue was a result of the people’s holiday gatherings and parties.
The number of active Covid-19 cases in the city was down to 25 last year but gradually increased to more than 70 as the new year entered.
As of Monday, Jan. 11, Mandaue City recorded 80 active cases in the city.
Cortes called on Mandauehanons not to be complacent and urged them to take precautionary measures.
Cortes said the City no longer has the funds to handle a resurgence of cases.
“Do we want our hospital to be at full capacity again? We cannot afford to go back to that situation,” Cortes said in Cebuano.
Cortes said, however, that Mandaue City is ready to “chip in” to buy the Covid-19 vaccine by realigning the City’s funds.
Meanwhile, Ligaya Dargantes, head of patient care and management of Mandaue’s EOC, said only 14 patients remain quarantined at the Mandaue City Central School (MCCS) Isolation Unit.
The Norkis Park Isolation Facility is ready to operate after all patients are pulled out from the MCCS.
Northern Cebu
Meanwhile, Consolacion Mayor Joannes Alegado reiterated calls to strictly follow health protocol after Covid-19 cases in the town went up.
Fifteen active Covid-19 cases were reported in Consolacion on Jan. 11.
Alegado said the Christmas and New Year holidays contributed to the rise in cases.
The Municipal Government is conducting massive contact tracing to determine people exposed to the virus.
Alegado reminded business establishments, especially malls, to strictly enforce the wearing of masks and shields and to require strict physical distancing to prevent a resurgence of cases.
Mass gatherings are also strictly prohibited in the town.
Police Maj. Verniño Noserale, Consolacion town police chief, said Alegado had also him to field more police officers to inspect malls, markets and other public places to ensure that the prohibition on mass gatherings is strictly enforced. (KFD, ANV / JKV)