Cebu City hall closed for cleanup

CEBU CITY—The eight-story Cebu City Hall and its satellite offices were closed on Thursday and until Friday for disinfection after more than 70 employees tested positive for the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

City Administrator Floro Casas Jr. said the layout of offices would be modified to allow physical distancing as a measure against the spread of the disease.

The city’s command center, however, will continue to entertain inquiries from the public while traffic enforcers will continue to man the streets, he said.

Since the disease was first reported in the city in March, 72 city employees and officials had been infected, four of whom had died, including Councilor Antonio Cuenco, who once served as Cebu representative.

As of July 8, the Department of Health recorded 7,078 COVID-19 cases in Cebu City with 260 deaths and 2,983 recoveries. At least 1,728 people remained confined in hospitals while 2,107 are in the city’s quarantine units.

Cebu City is under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) until July 15, the only locality in the country still on strict lockdown.

The national government, through Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu, is now overseeing the COVID-19 response in the city after President Duterte blamed the spike in virus cases on Cebuanos’ low compliance with health protocols.

Five barangay captains have been ordered by the Department of the Interior and Local Government to explain their failure to stop mass gatherings in their villages despite the ECQ, such as holding a religious procession, a fiesta celebration, a community disco, a gambling session and a basketball game. —REPORTS FROM DALE ISRAEL AND NESTLE SEMILLA