Majority from other sitios in Baragay Luz: City logs 40 more cases

CEBU, Philippines —  Forty more residents of Cebu City tested positive of the coronavirus disease Sunday and majority in this group are from Barangay Luz – 13 from sitio Sto Niño, eight from sitio San Vicente, and one from sitio Lubi.

Twelve other cases were recorded from Barangay Suba – seven from sitio Magsaysay and five from Blk 3 Missionaries.

Meanwhile, three cases were recorded from Calumpang, Barangay Inayawan and one case each from Sitio Pa-ilob in Barangay Sambag 2, Sitio Ponce in Barangay Capitol Site, and from the Cebu City Jail.

The 40 cases recorded yesterday brought to 451 the total number of cases in Cebu City amid the ongoing massive testing.

Mayor Edgardo Labella said yesterday the new patients will be transferred to the Barangay Isolation Center (BIC) in their area as soon as possible.

The city has identified 19 centers, which will house patients who are asymptomatic.

These centers will be monitored by the Department of Health (DOH), the City Health Department (CHD), and the barangay where it is located.

Labella said the city health department is now tracing the people the new patients have come in contact with.

Barangay Luz

Luz now has 162 positive cases.

The barangay’s spokesperson, Eldebrian Arañez, told The Freeman yesterday they have prepared the transfer of the new patients to the isolation center at the Barrio Luz Elementary School.

The DOH will have to inform the patients on the protocols to follow.

“Actually, gihanay-hinay na namo og andam ang ilang kabalhinan didto sa skwelahan. Ang high school building ang amo gi andam para nila… base sa recommendation sa DOH ug CHO nga dili sila pwede isagol sa permiro nga gi-isolate didto sa skwelahan,” Arañez said.

(We have started preparing the high school building where the new patients will be transferred. The DOH and CHO recommended that they should not be mixed with the other residents who have been transferred and isolated earlier)

Arañez said they have requested the city government for additional beddings that the new patients can use.

There are now 70-75 patients being isolated in the elementary school situated in barangay Luz.

Arañez said that only 14 of these patients are symptomatic, while the rest are still asymptomatic.

With most of the relief goods only allocated for sitio Zapatera where most of the earlier cases come from, Luz officials are asking for help for the other areas in the barangay.

“Manawagan na pud mi ani nga unta tabangan pud nila ang kining taga laing sitio nga naa na puy COVID positive. Mostly man gud, sa relief goods, tua sa sitio Zapatera, naa puy tua sa mga gipang-isolate. Lisod gyud kaayo among kahimtang ron maong magpatabang gyud mi, unta kaluy-an mi’s uban,” Arañez said.

The other sitios that are now on lockdown are Sto. Nino 1, San Vicente, and Lubi and the families there need food and water.

“Gisirad-an na pud ning mga dapita, dili na sila ka gawas-gawas kayo lisod man gud ni nga area diri; sikit ra kaayo ang mga balay-balay,” Arañez said.

(These areas have also been locked down; residents can no longer go out of their houses because the houses are built very close to each other)

Arañez said the barangay will also accept personal protective equipment for frontliners. He said there are 300 frontliners in the barangays but only about 50 of them have PPEs.

“Lisod kaayo nga wala silay PPEs, kaning among mga health workers and BHERT (barangay health emergency response team)… sila man gud ni maghatud ug pagkaon sa mga na-isolate and sa kaning sa pag-monitor pud sa uban nga naa sa ilang balay naka-isolate. Delikado kaayo kung nagsigi sila’g trabaho ang exposed kaayo sa mga naay COVID unya wala silay klaro nga protection,” he said.

The barangay is also short of supply of face masks, face shields, and gloves.  JMO (FREEMAN)