Manila records 21 new COVID-19 cases; total now at 344

Updated @ 12:01 a.m., April 15, 2020

MANILA, Philippines — The nation’s capital city recorded 21 new COVID-19 patients on Tuesday, increasing the total count to 344, Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso said.

Moreno further said during his briefing on Facebook that there were also 81 probable and 83 suspected COVID-19 patients in Manila.

Of the 344 COVID-19 positive persons, 79 are in Sampaloc, Moreno added.

To mitigate the spread of the latest coronavirus strain, the local government unit will distribute 572,933 face masks to all barangays in its jurisdiction. Some 500,000 of the masks are washable while the rest are disposable.

Meanwhile, Manila’s mass testing program is underway, with Moreno saying that local testing sites have accommodated 184 COVID-19 tests on Tuesday.

“As you heard that the city of Manila is conducting a lot of swab testing. This is the one that goes through a machine. This is the test where they put something in your mouth to get some liquid and this is submitted to the testing machine,” he said, speaking partly in Filipino.

Eighty-one of these tests were done in Manila Health Department/Delpan, 34 at the Ospital ng Maynila, 30 at the Sta. Ana Hospital, 26 at the Gat Andres Bonifacio Hospital, 10 at the Ospital ng Tondo, and three at the Justice Jose Abad Santos General Hospital.

Social aid

Aside from mass testing, Manila is also looking to assist more families through the ECQ, with the release of a P19.94 million additional cash aid for families.

Moreno said that the 19,941 families who had not received social aid from the national government would receive a P1,000 cash grant each  from the City Amelioration Crisis Assistance Fund (CACAF)

“As of today, the number of barangay officials who are asking for reconsideration has reached 100. For these 19,941 families, the assistance amounting to P19,941,000 has been approved [by the city council],” Moreno said.

“Many did not receive aid because, first, barangay officials were confused as to who should be included in the list. You cannot blame them because they are also tired, suffering from lack of sleep, due to the crisis. During a crisis, you cannnot come up with a correct or exact formula,” he added.

As of Tuesday, Manila and the rest of Luzon were still under an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases.

As of this writing, the Department of Health has confirmed 5,223 infected patients — 335 of whom have already died and 295 have recovered.

KGA / ATM