ILOILO City – The number of persons infected with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) at the Iloilo Fish Port Complex in Barangay Tanza here ballooned to 64.
Laboratory tests confirmed 36 new cases on Thursday, announced Mayor Jerry Treñas late afternoon yesterday.
On Sunday, Aug. 2, there were only two confirmed cases. Twenty-six more were detected on Aug. 5.
The new cases recorded yesterday were residents of the following barangays:
* Pala-Pala 1, City Proper – one
* Pala-Pala 2, City Proper – seven
* Tanza Baybay, City Proper – two
* Cuartero, Jaro – four
* Simon-Ledesma, Jaro – one
* North Baluarte, Jaro – one
* Boulevard, Molo – one
* Tanza-Bonifacio, City Proper – one
* San Juan, Molo – 10
* Calaparan, Arevalo – one
* Airport, Mandurriao – three
* Kahirupan, City Proper – one
* Balabago, Jaro – one
* Rizal-Estazuela, City Proper – one,
* Mandurriao district (undetermined barangay) – one
Treñas also ordered the lockdown beginning 6 a.m. today of barangays Cuartero and San Juan, bringing to six the city’s villages under selective enhanced quarantine.
On Wednesday, the mayor locked down barangays Pala-Pala 1 and 2, Tanza Baybay, and North Baluarte – villages where many of the 26 COVID-positive fish port workers resided.
There were also those who lived in Barangay Calumpang, Molo and Pototan, Iloilo (a security guard).
The spike in the number of COVID cases at the fish port prompted Treñas to lock down the area for another three days starting Aug. 4.
“We will continue the lockdown if we record more cases,” said Treñas.
According to fish port officer-in-charge Engineer Reynaldo Calayag, around 150 “market participants” and employees were subjected to COVID testing.
Treñas also locked down yesterday the Iloilo Terminal Market popularly known as “Super” for 72 hours beginning 12:01 a.m. to allow disinfection of the premises.
COVID-19 spreads from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth which are spread when a person with COVID-19 coughs or exhales.
These droplets also land on objects and surfaces around the person. Other people then catch COVID-19 by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth./PN
