Central Visayas under MGCQ until yearend

CEBU, Philippines —  Cebu City and the rest of Central Visayas region will remain under the Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) for the rest of the year, according to President Rodrigo Duterte’s announcement last Monday.

Duterte and other key officials of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases said other areas in the Visayas like Iloilo City and Tacloban City has been placed under the General Community Quarantine along with the National Capital Region, Batangas, Lanao del Sur, Iligan City, Davao City and Davao del Norte.

The rest of the country has been placed under MGCQ as well.

With Cebu still under MGCQ, the IATF has sent key members of the team that put in place Cebu City’s Emergency Operations Center to Davao to help them in containing the spread of the virus there.

Aside from retired Major General Melquiades Felicianos and his wife Mia who is a nurse, IATF’s chief implementer Secretary Galvez also mentioned that they also sent out Department of Health-7 chief pathologist Dr. Mary Jean Loreche to Davao to help as part of Feliciano’s team.

At the end of November, Cebu City has 292 active cases, nine cases new.

Lapu-Lapu City, on the other hand, currently has 137 active cases, including three new ones, and Mandaue has 92 active cases with no new case for three straight days.

For the provinces under Central Visayas, Bohol has 141 active cases, including 21 new ones, Cebu has 291 active cases, including the three additional cases, Negros Oriental has 209 cases, including three new cases and Siquijior has five active cases.

No deaths have been recorded on November 30 in all of the highly-urbanized cities, as well as the provinces of Central Visayas.

On Alert

The Philippines is currently ranked 44th among all countries with active cases as disclosed by Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.

But while cases in the country have seen a decreasing trend, government officials are anticipating a post-Christmas surge of COVID-19. Thus, they remain on alert and have instructed that isolation facilities must be prepared.

In line with this, Duque reiterated to keep Christmas celebrations among household members only.

“Hindi kami magsasawang magpapalala na hindi po tayo maaring magpabaya, o magluwag o maging complacent,” he said.

LGUs and other concerned agencies are also asked to help remind the public to be cautious during the Christmas period.

“Mabuting manatili sa bahay at magkaroon lamang ng maliit na salo-salo kasama ang immediate family members upang maiwasang hindi tayo mahawa at ang ating mga kapamilya,” added Duque.

Duque said the threat of COVID-19 is still very much around.

“While abala tayo sa preparasyon para sa Pasko, narito pa rin ang banta ng COVID-19 kaya naman nararapat ang ibayong pag-iingat ng kalusugan natin at mga mahal na buhay,” he said.

He said the best gift one can give to loved ones is being careful and cautious at all times, so minimum health standards should also be followed.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año echoed Duque on Christmas parties, saying that even family reunions are considered a form of mass gathering, thus, they are also a no-no.

“No Christmas caroling, no Christmas parties, mass gathering. Even family reunions are considered mass gatherings,”Año said. — JMD (FREEMAN)