Cebu logs 3 more cases; region total now at 33

CEBU, Philippines — Three more COVID-19 cases were confirmed in Cebu yesterday, April 1, bringing the total number in Central Visayas to 33.

This addition came after two days of lull in terms of positive cases.

“After two successive days nga nag-negative atong tests, karon duna ta'y tulo ka bag-o. So, nidugang na sa atong traynta kabuok sa region-wide, 33 na ta and atong COVID cases,” DOH-7 Director Dr. Jaime Bernadas said at a press conference at the Capitol yesterday.

The new confirmed cases include a 31-year-old male from Mandaue City, a 57-year-old male from Talamban, Cebu City, and a 54-year-old male from Consolacion.

Bernadas pointed out that the virus has not spread far into the province as he observed that the cities and municipalities with positive cases are part of the metropolitan area.

The new additions bring to 21 the cases in Cebu City; two in Lapu-Lapu City; two in Mandaue City; one in Talisay City; one in Consolacion; and one in Cordova. So far, there are 28 confirmed cases in Cebu province, including Cebu City.

Bernadas assured that contact tracing of the positive cases have already been conducted before the information had been released to the public.

He also said the DOH is now awaiting the swabs from cities and municipalities of those who manifested Influenza-like Illnesses (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Illnesses (SARI).

At the same press conference, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia announced that in total, the province has 143 ILIs, 3 SARIs, and 3,432 Persons Under Monitoring (PUMs).

Cash Aid

Meanwhile, Garcia also announced that the check representing the Capitol’s cash aid for its constituent LGUs will be available today, April 2.

She also said that for the sake of transparency, the prices of the basic goods procured with the cash aid will be posted.

“I have instructed all our department heads that all prices in the procurement of the items that we are distributing to our local government units should be posted,” she said.

The procurement must also be hard on the price ceiling imposed by the Department of Trade and Industry and adopted by the Provincial Price Monitoring Council, she added.

It can be recalled that earlier this week, Garcia announced that P376 million in financial aid will be sourced from the budget allocated for the Assistance for Local Government Units (LGU).

The amount will be stratified based on the LGU's income class ranking.

In a related development, the Provincial Board members will also be allocating P4 million of their individual P10 million legislative assistance fund for the procurement of rice.

This will be distributed to the cities and municipalities of their districts.  JMD (FREEMAN)