49 construction workers in Cebu City test positive for COVID-19

CEBU CITY––At least 49 construction workers employed to complete a building in this city tested positive for COVID-19.

Councilor Joel Garganera, deputy chief implementer of the city’s Emergency Operations Center, said this was the first time in several months, where many people in the same workplace contracted the virus.

All 49 workers, he said, had been taken out from the construction site and brought to isolation centers in Cebu City.

Garganera said the infections were detected when more than 100 construction workers underwent swab testing for COVID-19 after a co-worker tested positive for an antigen test last week.

Contact tracing was still ongoing. Most of the workers were living together in a bunkhouse.

The construction site at the Cebu I.T. Park in Barangay Apas, Cebu City is where several high-rise buildings and business process outsourcing firms in Metro Cebu are located.

Garganera said a majority of the workers had no or mild symptoms only.

As of Tuesday, Cebu City has 24,943 COVID-19 cases, but only 637 are active.

The city is under modified general community quarantine.

Garganera appealed to all construction firms in the city to intensify its policies so all workers would abide by the health protocols to prevent the spread of the virus.

“I’m grateful to officials of construction projects who coordinated with the city government to help contain the virus,” he said.