EXTREME QUARANTINE: Half of city’s COVID-19 cases in Arevalo village

By Emme Rose Santiagudo

A village in Arevalo district in Iloilo City was placed under extreme enhanced community quarantine (EECQ) following confirmed cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in different households.

Mayor Jerry Treñas issued Executive Order (EO) No. 70 on Wednesday imposing EECQ on Barangay Sto. Niño Sur, Arevalo for three days, from May 6 to May 8, 2020.

According to the mayor, local transmission of Covid-19 has been confirmed in the barangay with four confirmed cases belonging to different households.

“May local transmission na amo na gin-lockdown ta kay apat na ang kaso. We want to protect everyone there so indi na sila pwede kagwa,” he said in a press conference on Wednesday.

Sto. Niño Sur residents cannot leave their homes while the EECQ is in effect.

All forms of transportation within the barangay both public and private are also restricted.

Quarantine passes will also be suspended during the EECQ.

Treñas said the city government will provide the 2,015 households with food assistance composed of rice, canned goods, one kilogram (kg.) of pork, a kilo of dressed chicken, and vegetables.

The City Health Office (CHO) will also shoulder the maintenance and medicines of the residents to limit the movement of people.

“We will provide their needs. We will provide the food, medicine and drinking water. Ang CHO ma-provide sang bulong like ang usual nga maintenance for diabetes and high blood,” Treñas said.

The EO also mandates the conduct of mandatory random testing using the real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and rapid antibody test on all high risk and medium risk contacts of COVID-19 cases in Brgy. Niño Sur.

Persons who are exempted from the order are persons needing hospital care, barangay officials, Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) officials, officials and personnel of the city government, healthcare workers, sanitation workers, and other authorized personnel.

Based on data from the Department of Health in Western Visayas -Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD 6), Arevalo posted seven COVID-19 cases, almost half of the 15 cases in Iloilo City.

The first Sto. Niño Sur resident to contract the virus was a 48-year-old male (WV Patient No. 66) who works as a driver of the Iloilo City Emergency Response (ICER) team.

On Tuesday, four new additional cases were recorded in Arevalo – a 55-year-old female (WV Patient No. 73); a 43-year-old female (WV Patient No. 78); a 57-year-old female (WV Patient No. 79); and a 49-year-old female (WV Patient No. 80).

In its Case Bulletin No. 41 released on Wednesday, the health department confirmed two more additional cases in the district.

Dr. May Ann Soliva-Sta. Lucia, head of DOH-CHD 6’s Health Promotion Cluster, said the two new cases include a 33-year-old male (WV Patient No. 85) who is admitted in a hospital; and a 46-year-old male (WV Patient No. 88) who is under facility quarantine.

Treñas said the contact tracing of the confirmed cases in Arevalo is currently ongoing.