ILOILO City – The 72-hour “surgical extreme” enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) on a neighborhood in Zone 2, Barangay Bo. Obrero in Lapuz district which ended on Saturday, July 25, was extended for another three days beginning last night.
Four new coronavirus disease cases in the neighborhood were detected, according to Mayor Jerry Treñas.
The 44 households (197 individuals) covered by the ECQ would therefore continue their home quarantine until Wednesday night, July 29, or until all the results of their reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are released.
The ECQ was imposed beginning July 22 after two new cases of COVID-19 were recorded in the neighborhood just days after a resident there died due to the viral illness.
As of yesterday afternoon, July 26, 66 test results have been released. Four tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
According to Barangay Councilman James Conlu, one of these four new cases was a 14-year-old girl, a relative of the neighborhood’s three COVID-19 cases which were the following: 39-year-old female (Patient No. 820), a 71-year-old female (Patient No. 821), and an 80-year-old male (Patient No. 679).
Patient No. 679 died on July 7 but his COVID-19-positive test result was known and released only on July 15. Patient No. 821 was his wife and Patient No. 820 was a daughter.
According to Conlu, members of the 44 households (composed of 77 families) have not left their houses since July 22. The barangay council is shouldering their meals.
A curfew and liquor ban are also being maintained in the neighborhood.
Mayor Treñas’ executive order on the “surgical extreme” ECQ ordered the households to observe the following:
* Refrain from unnecessary travel until the COVID-19 testing and sanitation process have been completed.
* Only Authorized Persons Outside Residence (APOR) shall be allowed to enter and/or leave the neighborhood, and existing health and safety measures shall be strictly imposed.
* All forms of transportation, both private and public, are restricted./PN
