More Covid-19 cases recorded in Zamboanga

ZAMBOANGA CITY – More prisoners freed recently by a local court were tested positive for the novel coronavirus as health and local government officials expect a spike in the number of Covid-19 cases here.

The local task force on Covid-19 reported 9 new cases on Friday, bringing the total number of infected patients to 134. The additional Covid-19 cases were part of 60 prisoners released from jail and underwent testing for the virus. More than half of this number is positive for the deadly respiratory disease.

“The 9 new additional Covid-19 cases are part of the second batch of freed persons deprived of liberty that were swabbed and tested before release from the City Reformatory Center. Twenty-seven others are with pending results,” the task force, headed by Mayor Beng Climaco, said.

Those released from penitentiary are all undergoing two-week quarantine before they are allowed to be with their family as part of the health protocol. Zamboanga has more 100 cases of Covid-19 and three deaths; and over 700 suspected virus carriers and at least 100 related deaths. 

Climaco said those found positive for the disease have been taken to the Cabatangan quarantine.

She said the local government is ready to transition from the strict enhanced community quarantine or ECQ to more relaxed general community quarantine or GCQ beginning Saturday. She also signed an executive order implementing new quarantine guidelines set by the national government. 

The mayor said she was informed by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on decision of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Infectious Diseases of IATF to place Zamboanga City under GCQ based on the moderate number of Covid-19 cases here. Lorenzana also told Climaco that she can impose a lockdown in any areas in Zamboanga when there is risk of Covid-19 infection.

Climaco said residents must strictly follow quarantine guidelines, saying, the current curfew hours from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. will remain and that travel restrictions stay. 

She also thanked all those who are supporting the efforts of the local government in combating Covid-19, especially the private sector. “With the help of the national government y tambien el de atun maga partners in the private sector, we are ramping up our (Covid-19) testing capabilities and we are heeding Secretary Galvez’s call to implement the T3 – Trace, Test and Treat,” she said.

Climaco said the T3 is very important in combating the deadly virus. “We are also expediting the operation of the laboratory facilities as this is very important to control the spread of the virus,” she said.

Even Dr Tony Leachon, of the Manila Doctors Hospital, who was recently in Zamboanga with Galvez to inspect the Covid-19 testing facilities, said: “The only way to get out of ECQ or GCQ in the next few weeks leading to new normal life is to do massive testing - this is clearly the game changer.”

Leachon also praised Climaco for her leadership in battling the pandemic. “We are extremely impressed by the able leadership of City Mayor Isabelle Beng Climaco,” he said. (Zamboanga Post)

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