MANILA, Philippines — Eighty-five Tondo District 1 residents have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Manila Mayor Isko Moreno said Sunday.
Some 1,133 residents of Tondo’s District 1, which was placed under a 48-hour “hard lockdown,” underwent rapid testing where 85 have tested positive for the virus, Moreno said in an online media conference.
The Manila City government earlier imposed the “hard lockdown” on the entire district following quarantine violations and the rise of COVID-19 cases in the area.
Moreno said the rapid tests were among the city government’s measures to identify who may be possible carriers of the coronavirus in the first district of Tondo.
“Maganda rin ito na benepisyo na kapag nagbuti kayo sa komunidad, naging masinop kayo, naging disiplinado kayo ang beneisyo ninyo ay you will live normally,” Moreno said.
“Kapag ikaw ay naging matino at talagang sinusunod niyo yung social distancing, and yung quarantine and other protocols. We will open your barangay. Discipline must be put in the right place,” he added.
Moreno, meanwhile, said 176 violators of quarantine have so far been apprehended, 80 percent of which came from just one barangay.
He added that the city government is now preparing for possible scenarios once the national government lifts the enhanced community quarantine in Metro Manila.
“We, together with JCI (Junior Chamber International), are now building a COVID-19 facility in the community, utilizing public school. We are now building a 40 bed capacity in one of our schools, Araullo High School,” Moreno said.
“The reason behind if there is resurgence of the COVID-19, we’re trying to prepare also in terms of facility. Doon na kami papunta,” he added.
As of 5 p.m. on Saturday, the mayor said there are a total of 573 active cases in the city.
Of the number, 102 of it were recorded from Tondo District 1.
Across the country, health officials have so far confirmed 8,928 COVID-19 cases.
Of these cases, 1,124 have so far recovered while over 600 have died.