20 houses in village under lockdown

Twenty houses in Bo. Obrero in Lapuz, Iloilo City are under temporary lockdown for three days after two residents in the area tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

Mayor Jerry Treñas issued executive order (EO) No. 105 on Thursday imposing a surgical extreme enhanced community quarantine (SEECQ) on the 20 households at Zone II, Bo. Obrero, Iloilo City for an interim period of 72 hours.

According to the mayor, the lockdown is necessary after two household members of the COVID-19 fatality in the area were infected with SARS-CoV-2.

“Ang nagtaliwan nga case sa Bo. Obrero, may duha nga nalatnan iya asawa kag bata. That is why gin-lockdown ta ang mga houses didto. Initially, 16 but we decided 20 na lang ka houses,” Treñas said in a press conference on Thursday.

The Department of Health-Western Visayas Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD)-6 confirmed the death of a 70-year-old male from Lapuz district.

The patient died on July 7, a day after his swabs were collected for the real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test. His laboratory results only came out on July 15.

Under the SEECQ, all residents of the 20 households are refrained from unnecessary travel until the COVID-19 testing and sanitation process has been completed.

All forms of transportation, including the unauthorized movement of persons on the street where the 20 households are located shall be restricted during the SEECQ period.

According to the mayor, the city government will distribute relief goods like rice and canned goods to the affected families.

As of 2 pm Thursday, the city government has collected swab samples of 197 individuals in 66 families that are staying in 42 houses. The swabs will be subjected to confirmatory testing.

The mayor reminded the public to strictly follow quarantine protocols such as physical distancing, wearing of mask, and frequent handwashing as the city expects to detect additional COVID-19 cases while opening its borders and economy.

“Sa pagbukas naton, may ara gid na ya ma-positive. The virus is there, the virus is real, the virus can kill. Amo na nga dapat mahadlok gid man kita,” he said. (ERS)