WILL LOCKDOWN BE EXTENDED? Mayor studies move as local spread of COVID-19 in Iloilo City confirmed

By Emme Rose Santiagudo

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas is studying the possibility of extending the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), or lockdown, following the confirmation of the local transmission of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Treñas confirmed the local transmission in the city following two interconnected cases recorded by health authorities.

According to the mayor, the latest COVID-19 case in the city was a close contact of one of the previous cases in Iloilo City who expired in March 2020.

“May case na kita nga local transmission diri sa siyudad. Ang Case No. 2 nga nagpass away may contact pa gid sa Case No. 4,” he said in a press conference on Monday.

Iloilo City has four COVID-19 cases with one death as of Sunday, according to the Department of Health-Center for Health Development Western Visayas (DOH-CHD) 6.

Local transmission as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) indicates that the source of infection is within the reporting location.

Patient No. 1 in Iloilo is a 61-year-old female from the district of Mandurriao who had a travel history in Manila.

A 72-year-old male also from Mandurriao was the city’s second case or Patient No. 2. He also had a travel history in Manila. The patient died on March 21, 2020.

His close contact contracted the virus and was identified as Patient No. 4.

The 59-year-old male is hypertensive and diabetic, according to the health department.

In a bulletin issued by DOH-CHD 6 on Sunday, Patient No. 4 remains admitted in a hospital.

 

LOCKDOWN EXTENSION

Following the confirmation of the local transmission in Iloilo City, the mayor said he is still studying the possibility of extending the ‘lockdown’ or the enhanced community quarantine in the metro.

“We are studying all options. May private doctors nga nagatawag sa akon, may concerns man sila. Gusto ko anay lantawon ila nga suggestions kay I don’t want to make a decision na indi based on a scientific and medical recommendation,” he said.

The enhanced community quarantine that started on March 20 will officially end on April 14, 2020.

Meanwhile, the mayor appealed to the residents to stay in their homes to help prevent the transmission of the virus.

“Isa na gid para makalikaw kita sa Covid, indi na lang maguwa sa balay kon pwede. Amo na gani ginhawa ta pangita paagi nga may ari kita bugas and canned goods kay ginadeliver ta sa barangayan kag ginapaagi ta sa barangay officials,” he said.

He also emphasized the importance of practicing social distancing as he also expressed his dismay on the failure to implement social distancing at the Iloilo Terminal Market in City Proper district.

“Indi na kita magsagad guwa nga wala kita naga social distancing, kinanglan may social distancing gid. It is unfortunate sa Iloilo Terminal Market, ginpadal-an ko liwat to police kay wala naman sila gapractice social distancing,” he said.

The health department has confirmed local transmission of Covid 19 in the towns of Lambunao and Guimbal in Iloilo Province and Bacolod City.