20 areas in five QC barangays under two-week ’special concern lockdown’

MANILA, Philippines — Twenty areas in five barangays in Quezon City will be placed under a two-week “special concern lockdown” due to a high number of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the city government said Tuesday.

The areas in the five barangays — Bahay Toro, Culiat, Sauyo,  Batasan Hills, and Tatalon — will be under lockdown beginning 5 a.m. on Wednesday, May 13, and ending on Tuesday, May 26.

Based on data provided by the city government, Bahay Toro has 21 COVID-19 cases, Culiat has 37,  Sauyo has  19, Batasan Hills has 29, and Tatalon has 17.

During the lockdown, the Quezon City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (QC-ESU) will conduct intensified testing and monitoring in those areas, QC-ESU head Dr. Rolly Cruz said.

The assistant city administrator for operation,s Alberto Kimpo, said that the areas under special concern lockdown were selected by the City Health Department CHD based on the results of community-based testing.

“Instead of a total lockdown of the whole barangay, we will prioritize particular areas that have a clustering of COVID-19 cases that may either be on a street, block, or compound,” Kimpo said in Filipino.

“Another thing we will look at is the high-density populations that don’t practice quarantine protocols, where there is a big possibility of being infected, that’s why they need to be included in the containment. From there, community-based testing and quarantine will be intensified,” he added.

Earlier, the Palace declared that Metro Manila, Laguna, and Cebu City would be under a modified enhanced community quarantine from May 16 to May 31 due their high number of COVID-19 cases.

As of Tuesday, the Philippines has 11,350 COVID-19 cases, with 2,106 recoveries and 751 fatalities.

Of the total number of cases, 1,589 are from Quezon City, according to data from the local government.

/atm