CEBU CITY— A densely populated urban poor area in Cebu City was placed under “total lockdown” for 14 days starting Sunday, April 12, after three residents tested positive for COVID-19.
Dr. Daisy Villa, chief of the Cebu City Health Department, said they prohibited anyone in Sitio Zapatera in Barangay Luz from going out of their homes or entering the place in a bid to stop the spread of the deadly virus.
Policemen were also deployed in Sitio Zapatera to make sure residents will stay inside their houses.
While on lockdown, food and other basic necessities will be provided by either the village officials or the Cebu City government.
“People in this sitio are very hard-headed. They keep on going out even if we were already informed about the three COVID-19 positive cases in their place. Since we can’t contain these residents, the city government has decided to place the entire sitio under a total lockdown,” said Villa in a phone interview on Sunday.
The three COVID-19 patients are neighbors in Sitio Zapatera.
The first patient is a 68-year-old man who displayed symptoms of COVID-19 and was confined
at a hospital in Cebu City early this month.
His live-in partner, a 67-year-old woman as well as his 59-year-old male neighbor also tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday, April 11.
Villa said the two patients were asymptomatic and were since placed under home quarantine.
“They do not have any symptoms. In fact, they do not have colds and flu. We took a swab from them after learning they are the close contacts of one of our confirmed cases,” said Villa.
“Since these two persons are asymptomatic, the protocol of the Department of Health (DOH) is they will be under home quarantine and will be strictly monitored by our health workers,” she added.
As of 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 12, there are 33 COVID-19 positive persons in Cebu, including Cebu City.
At least 18 had recovered while six others died.
Villa said they already finished disinfecting Barangay Luz, especially the houses of the three COVID-19 patients so that there will be no additional cases in the coming days.
Barangay Luz Captain Ronilio Sab-a supported the move of the city government to place Sitio Zapatera under a total lockdown.
Sab-a hoped that the two patients who are on home quarantine will be taken out of the village so as to ensure that no one will be infected by the virus.
“Sitio Zapatera has about 10,000 individuals – the most number of residents in the village. They are also the most hard-headed persons here. It is therefore safe if these two COVID-19 patients will be isolated outside the village,” he said.
Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella placed the city under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) since March 28. The mayor’s order will be in effect until April 28, 2020.