Bulk of new COVID cases in City Proper, Jaro districts

Most of the new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases detected in Iloilo City in the week were detected in City Proper and Jaro districts.

Based on data from the City Health Office (CHO) and Iloilo City Disaster Risk and Reduction Office (CDRRMO), City Proper district recorded 70 COVID-19 cases from Aug 17-25, 2020, the highest among the seven districts in the city.

Out of this number, 15 are from Rizal Pala-Pala II, eight are from Sto. Rosario, seven from Legaspi, six from Tanza Bonifacio; five from Veteran’s Village; four from Rizal Estanuela and Ortiz while other barangays recorded three to one COVID-19 cases.

Jaro district recorded 40 cases wherein nine are from Simon Ledesma; three from Quintin Salas and San Isidro while Balabago, Tabuc Suba, San Pedro, and Tagbak each recorded four cases.

M.H.  Del Pilar and San Vicente each recorded two cases while Tacas, Bendicto, Cubay, Lanit, and Taytay Zone II recorded one.

Mandurriao recorded 36 Covid-19 cases with clustering at Q. Abeto (6 cases), Bolilao (5 cases); Bakhaw (4) and Guzman Jesena (3) and Hibao-an Sur (3).

Thirty cases were detected in Molo district. North Baluarte and East Timawa have five cases each; Calumpang and San Juan each recorded four cases while two cases were recorded in Boulevard and Kasing-Kasing.

Meanwhile, La Paz district recorded 19 cases, 17 from Lapuz, and 11 from Arevalo.

As of Aug 26, 2020, data from the CHO showed that 25 new additional cases were added to Iloilo City.

Nineteen of the new cases are considered local transmission or those with no travel history outside of Western Visayas. New cases were also detected in North Fundidor and Sooc with one new case each.

COVID-19 fatalities in the city totaled to 13, based on the latest data from CHO. The most recent is a 10-year-old female from Tanza Baybay.

The total Covid-19 cases in Iloilo City have spiked to 764 with 146 recoveries and 604 active cases, based on Case Bulletin No. 151 of the Department of Health Region 6 (DOH-6) issued on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, four authorized persons outside residence (APOR) from Global Business Power Corp. (GBP) contracted the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

The four are among the 25 new additional cases recorded in Iloilo City on Wednesday.

In a statement, GBP said that the four APORs were part of the team of contractors from Luzon who were supposedly set to conduct the annual preventive maintenance on one of GBP’s coal-fired power plant on Sept 3, 2020.

“Three of them are from Power Zaver Techno Services Corporation (PZTSC) while one is from Specialized Products & Services, Inc. (SPSI),” the statement said.

Upon their arrival, the four APORs were subjected to real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test inside the plant facility of GBP on August 23.

“They were brought to their quarantine facilities and closely monitored by the nurse and the security personnel to ensure that they follow the quarantine guidelines upon their arrival. While under quarantine, they were required to strictly adhere to the minimum health standards i.e. mandatory wearing of masks, physical distancing, and handwashing. Temperature check and monitoring of signs and symptoms have been done by our nurses.”

Test results of the four APORs came out positive for COVID-19 and they were picked up by the Iloilo City Emergency Response Team (ICER) on Wednesday to be brought to the city-accredited facility quarantine.

Currently, they are all asymptomatic.

Meanwhile, total disinfection of the quarantine facility of the four APORs were conducted by Administration Services Department of the GBP.

GBP assured that they will cooperate with the local government units of Iloilo and Aklan as the company guaranteed that the health and safety of their employees, contractual workers, security personnel, third-party partners, and guests is their top priority.

“We have implemented stringent safety and health precautionary measures in our power plant facility. We are one with our local leaders and the community in this war against COVID-19. We have coordinated with the local government units of Iloilo and Aklan, and followed all the guidelines that they have set prior to the travel of these individuals to Iloilo.”

GBPC owns and operates coal-fired and diesel-fired power plants in La Paz, Iloilo City.

It has a 164 megawatts of clean coal-fired power plant with 150 megawatts coal-fired plant expansion and two diesel-fired power plants with 72 megawatts and 20 megawatts capacity.

All in all, the three power plants have a combined capacity of 314 megawatts.

GBCP also operates 17.5 megawatts diesel-fired power plants in Nabas, and New Washington in Aklan. (ERS)