Quezon City ends special lockdowns in 3 areas

MANILA, Philippines — The Quezon City government said Saturday that it has lifted special concern lockdown (SCL) in three areas after its local health department finished swab testing and isolation period in 14 days.

The said areas are Barangay Batasan Hills and Victory Avenue and BMA Avenue in Barangay Tatalon.

“These areas have completed the 14-day lockdown period, which also entailed rapid testing and confirmatory swab testing,” QC Assistant City Administrator for Operations Alberto Kimpo said in a statement.

Dr. Rolly Cruz, chief of QC-Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (ESU) of the Quezon City Health Department, said 137 residents in Victory Avenue underwent rapid testing.

Out of the 137 residents, seven underwent swabbing because they are symptomatic, Cruz said.

In BMA Avenue, five out of 72 residents underwent swabbing for confirmatory testing using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing.

Of the 12 residents who underwent PCR testing, Cruz said only one resident tested positive for novel coronavirus, which causes COVID-19. The resident is now in isolation, Cruz added.

Kimpo, meanwhile, said they are still monitoring other areas under SCL namely Barangay Culiat and Alley 2, Homart Road in Barangay Baesa.

However, other QC areas namely Calle 29 and Barangay Libis will be placed under SCL starting June 1 after the city government identified a “cluster of active cases” in the area.