Slowdown in COVID-19 cases in Cebu City prompts optimism tough lockdown would end

CEBU CITY—The growth in COVID-19 cases here continued to slow down, prompting the Central Visayas office of the Department of Health to express optimism that the city would enter a softer quarantine phase by Aug. 1.

Dr. Mary Jean Loreche, regional DOH spokesperson, said the lockdown has “an impact by itself but I also believe that people today are learning also.”

Cebu City reverted to enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), the most stringent form of community quarantine, last June 16 due to rising cases of COVID-19. It was placed on modified ECQ last July 16.

The city hoped to enter a more relaxed general community quarantine (GCQ) starting next month.

Loreche said a coronavirus testing lab at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) ceased operations last week for decontamination and was back in full operations last Friday.

She said the number of new cases remained low even after the testing lab resumed operations, which could have meant more cases being detected.

Compared to June and early July’s daily case tally of 150 to 200, the number of infections in Cebu City is down to less than 100 a day.

As of July 28, Cebu City has a total of 8,813 COVID-19 cases with 472 deaths and 5,075 recoveries.

Cebu province has 3,073 cases with 172 deaths and 1,290 recoveries.

Mandaue City has 1,861 cases while Lapu-Lapu City has 1,733 infections.

TSB