MANILA – The continued increase in numbers of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases has forced President Rodrigo Duterte to shift Cebu City back to enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) at least until the end of the month.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said other factors considered in the move was the widespread community transmission there, consistent case doubling rate and significant increase in critical care utilization against critical care capacity.
“Cebu City lacks the beds for critical patients. They have exceeded the numbers of COVID-19 cases in Quezon City,” Roque said in an interview with CNN Philippines’ The Source.
“‘Yung mga lugar na binalik sa ECQ at MECQ ay masyado pang mataas ang case doubling rate at nasa danger zone din ang kanilang mga critical care capacity,” he added.
The Palace spokesperson also said with the ECQ move, public transportation is banned and non-essential shops and businesses are closed, while non-essential travels by residents are also prohibited.
“Inaasahan natin na kahit papaano ay mabibigyan ng ayuda ang mga taga-Cebu [City] dahil hindi sila puwede magtrabaho muli,” he added.
Roque also said that it was also for the same reason that the Inter Agency Task Force for the Management of the Emerging Infectious Disease has recommended Talisay City in Cebu province’s shift to modified enhanced community quarantine.
Meanwhile, Cebu City mayor Edgardo Labella said the spike in its cases of the respiratory disease was due to massive testing as they will ask the national government to ease its coronavirus lockdown to help its economy recover from the pandemic.
Labella said in an interview with DZMM Teleradyo that his city has tested some 25,000 people since March and confirmed 3,434 cases of COVID-19 as of Saturday.
Of the total number of patients, 1,858 or about 54.10 percent had recovered, which is higher than the national recovery rate of about 22 percent. The city tallied 37 deaths due to the disease, which translates to a fatality rate of 1.08 percent.
“Massive testing is the best way to fight this invisible enemy and Cebu City will never stop this measure even if this pushes the case count up,” said Labella./PN
