ILOILO City – This city and Iloilo province’s modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ), set to end on June 30, could be extended until July.
Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. took note of the province’s new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases that average 136 daily.
He said the effects of strict quarantine measures and health protocols might not be felt immediately.
“It does not work that way because of the (virus’) incubation period. So may posibilidad nga sa katapusan sang bulan amo man gihapon ang aton sitwasyon kag basi mag-extend kita,” Defensor said.
In case of such extension, Defensor said he would make adjustments to the protocols and quarantine measures.
“Kay ti ginapa-ayunan naton ang aton economy,” he said. “Tan-awon naton kon ano ang parti sang economy naton nga maka-sustiner kag kon ano ang puede naton pahalugan gamay so that we can cope with that.”
Defensor said he would wait for further announcements from the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF).
Majority of business establishments in Iloilo province temporarily stopped due to the ongoing MECQ.
One of the adjustments being considered is the expansion of the seating capacity in indoor and al-fresco eating establishments. The current seating capacity indoors is 10 percent, while for al-fresco is 50 percent.
However, accommodations for tourism, and recreational and leisure purposes will remain closed.
EXTENSION OR ESCALATION?
On the other hand, Iloilo City’s Mayor Jerry Treñas also cited the continued uptick in COVID-19 infections here, as well as the situation in hospitals where manpower and COVID-beds are being stretched to the limits.
If ever the city’s MECQ classification would indeed be extended by the IATF, Treñas said the city would heed. However, he would request some more businesses to open like spas and gyms.
As to why the cases here continue to increase despite impositions under MECQ, the mayor said the virus now is very quick-moving.
“May community transmission kita guro… halong kita pirme and observe strictly minimum health protocols,” he said.
Data (from June 1 to 21) from the City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (CESU) showed that a total of 2,288 cases – 136.9 percent higher than the 867 cases recorded in the same period last month.
The city also noted a 165.85 percent increase in daily average cases, whereas from June 1 to 21, the city is recording 109 average cases daily against the 41 infections in the same period last month.
How about a shift to a higher quarantine status?
“Naluoy ko sa aton pumuluyo – damo na guid pigado,” said Treñas, hoping that the IATF won’t escalate it further.
Meanwhile, Iloilo City COVID Team spokesperson Jeck Conku noted that there has been a fluctuation in new cases in this city for several days already.
“Hopefully ma-maintain ta sia or ma lower pa gid by end of June,” said Conlu.
CESU data showed that the city logged 136 cases on June 14; then declined to 86 cases on June 15; 98 on June 16; 74 on June 17; 97 on June 18; 79 on June 19; 56 on June 20; and 65 on June 21.
The daily cases on June 22 again returned to three digits at 104 cases and again dwindled to 98 on June 23 and 96 on June 24./PN
