Local transmission cases in city continue to spike

Cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) are still rising in Iloilo City due to local transmission or those cases with no travel history outside of the city and Western Visayas.
The increase of the COVID-19 cases in the city caused by local transmission are among the concerns in the city, based on the situation report of the Iloilo City Emergency Operations Center.

As of 12 p.m. Sunday, Sept 20, 2020, Iloilo City recorded 17 new additional cases and one new fatality.

The latest fatality was an 85-year-old male from Quintin Salas who expired in a hospital in Iloilo City last Sept 17. Authorities are still investigating his death.

Meanwhile, the new cases involved two returning Overseas Filipino Workers (ROFs) and 12 cases of local transmission including one detected at the Iloilo Fishing Port Complex.

From Sept 7 to 13, Jaro district recorded the highest number of COVID-19 cases at 46; followed by Molo district at 28; La Paz district at 21; Lapuz at 19; Mandurriao at 17; and Arevalo at 11.

The authorities are also monitoring the spike of COVID-19 cases in jail facilities in the metro particularly at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) Iloilo City District Jail- Male Dormitory in Jaro district.

Latest reports indicated that COVID-19 cases in the jail facility jumped to 51, where 39 are Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs) while 12 are BJMP personnel.

Authorities said the virus was possibly transmitted by a 39-year-old male from BJMP-Pototan who was transferred in their area but expired on September 6.

Based on COVID-19 Case Regional Bulletin No. 176 issued on Saturday, COVID-19 cases in Iloilo City totaled 1,776.

Majority of these cases, or 1,045, have already recovered while 696 remain active cases and 35 expired.

Health protocols have been strengthened at the community level.
Last week, 28 barangays with not less than three Covid-19 cases have been placed under surgical lockdown. Total liquor ban was imposed in the said barangays and curfew was adjusted from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. (ERS)