Cebu City posts record spike in COVID cases

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City recorded 353 coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 infections yesterday, the highest reported in the city in a single day.

The Cebu City health department (CCHD) said the barangays where most of the cases were recorded are in Guadalupe, with 44; Sambag 2, 27; Labangon, 19; Lahug, 18, and Capitol, 16.

Barangays Tejero and Mabolo recorded 14 cases each and Sambag 1, 13.

Barangay Basak San Nicolas, where a religious procession was held on Saturday night, recorded seven new cases.

The additional cases bring the total number of confirmed cases in Cebu City to 5,494. At least 2,602 are active cases.

The CCHD said 10 patients have recovered, bringing the number of recoveries to 2,723.

No deaths were recorded yesterday.

Sixty-seven employees of the Cebu city hall were also found infected with the virus, according to city government spokesman and legal officer Rey Gealon.

Gealon said 12 of those infected are from the city health department, 19 ambulance service and 36 barangay health workers.

He gave assurance that alternative work arrangements, such as work from home and skeletal force, disinfection of offices and provision of disinfectants, are being implemented at the city hall to prevent the spread of the disease.

Hatid Probinsya

Meanwhile, Eastern Visayas is bracing for the resumption of the Hatid Probinsya program next week.

Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez said they would rent hotels to be used as isolation centers for those who have to undergo quarantine for 14 days.

Local government officials said they are not against the program, but stressed the need for coordination from the national government in the enforcement of health protocols, such as swab tests from the point of origin of the returnees.

The number of COVID-19 cases in Eastern Visayas rose from 30 in March to more than 400 in June. Most of the new cases are returning residents and overseas Filipino workers.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the program would push through despite initial setbacks.

Roque said 6,000 more locally stranded individuals would be brought home under the Hatid Probinsya program. Christina Mendez, Alicia Ivy Chua, Mary Ruth Malinao/The Freeman