Pateros reports zero new cases; Navotas starts community testing
MANILA, Philippines — After no new cases of the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) were reported in Pateros in the past week, Mayor Ike Ponce thanked the over 60,000 residents in the lone Metro municipality for their cooperation.
Since April 26, the number of confirmed cases in Pateros has stood at 22, Ponce said on Monday night. Of the 22, there were four deaths and six recoveries.
The suspected cases remained at 90 although all but one had been sent home after being under quarantine for 14 days.“These are good numbers and we can see that, at least in our town, we are slowly being able to resolve this pandemic,” Ponce said.
All residents, except for one person per household who can go out on essential errands, have been on 24-hour lockdown since last month.
“We know that it is very difficult to stay in your homes and not be able to go out for most of the days in the week. But this (zero new cases) means that our policies have been effective,” he added.
A “barangay coding” has also been in place since April 23 to further restrict the movement of people.
They are allowed to go out only three days a week, with their schedule based on their village of residence.
A total lockdown is implemented on Sundays, which has been declared “Family Day.” No one is allowed to go out of their homes, except for front-liners.
In Navotas, the city government will start the mass testing of residents today, the first day of a citywide extreme enhanced community quarantine, to contain the spread of COVID-19. According to the Navotas Public Information Office (PIO), around 1,428 polymerase chain reaction test kits worth P5 million were purchased by the city government for the mass testing.
“We will give priority to COVID-19 patients, including suspected and probable cases. Afterward, health care workers and other front-liners, then [the] community,” said Irish Cubillan, PIO chief.
—With a report from Meg Adonis
