Mayor assures virus spread under control despite surge in cases

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infections traced to the Iloilo Fishing Port Complex (IFPC) in Tanza, City Proper, Iloilo City continue to surge with 41 additional cases detected on Aug 7, 2020.

According to City Mayor Jerry Treñas, he received 56 COVID-19 positive confirmatory results on Friday.

Out of the 56 positive results, 41 were traced to the Iloilo Fishing Port particularly from Rizal Pala-pala Zone 2, City Proper with 19 new cases; Tanza Baybay, City Proper with 11 cases; and San Juan, Molo with 11 cases.

Meanwhile, another officer of AC Energy Philippines, a banker, and a call center agent also tested positive for COVID-19.

COVID-19 infections traced from the IFPC have surged to 105 as of Thursday.

Despite the surge of cases, Treñas said that the transmission is under control with localized lockdowns, adjusted curfew hours, and alcohol ban imposed on the city.

He said he does not see the need to place Iloilo City under total lockdown, for now.

“Lockdown, waay pa guro at the moment, everything is under control. May community transmission amo na ginpa-untat ko anay mga flights and trips until August 17, may curfew kita may prohibition kita sa mass gathering. Ang aton ginaubra subong is sufficient para macontrol ang transmission. Let us look at the number in the following days and we will see,” he said in a virtual press conference on Friday.

Treñas said the IFPC management has already submitted protocols to be imposed to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Iloilo City COVID-19 Team Focal Person Dr. Roland Jay Fortuna said the protocols include consistent sanitation, increased security at the area, increased hand washing area, one-way flow of traffic and logbook for sellers and buyers as an aid for contact tracing.

Treñas said they are waiting for the remaining swab results of the workers of the IFPC while other personnel and employees of fish brokers will also be subjected to confirmatory testing in the coming days.

The mayor said the spike in COVID-19 cases traced in the fishing port is possibly due to fishing crews from high-risk areas in the country who deliver their catch to the port which lacked health protocols.

 

REGIONAL TALLY

The Department of Health-Western Visayas Center reported 46 new cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on August 7, 2020.

The DOH data indicated that the region has 1,839 cases, with 896 active cases, 917 recoveries, and 26 deaths.

The latest batch includes 26 local cases – seven cases from Negros Occidental, four from Iloilo province, nine from Iloilo City, and six from Bacolod City.

Eleven cases are that of Returned Overseas Filipinos, with four cases from Bacolod City, three from Iloilo City, two from Negros Occidental, one from Capiz, and one from Iloilo province.

The remaining nine cases are Locally Stranded Individuals – three from Negros Occidental, three from Capiz, two from Bacolod City, and one from Antique.

Two new deaths were also reported in the region – a 70-year-old female from Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo (WV Patient No. 1820), and a seven-year-old female from Dumangas, Iloilo (WV Patient No. 1839), the youngest in the region so far.

Meanwhile, 65 new COVID-19 recoveries were also reported. (Joseph B.A. Marzan and ERS)