Cebu COVID-19 cases breach 2,000-mark

CEBU, Philippines — The number of COVID-19 cases in Cebu, including the three highly urbanized cities, has surpassed 2,000 as more positive test results were logged yesterday.

Cebu City remains the epicenter with 1,786 total cases as of May 18. Mandaue City has 115 while Lapu-Lapu City has 59. Cebu Province has a cumulative total of 70 cases with 10 fatalities.

 Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, in her virtual press briefing yesterday, reported 10 new positive cases in the province. Talisay City recorded four new cases with one death due to aneurysm. The rest of the new cases are active, two exhibited Influenza-Like Illnesses (ILI) and one was swabbed from giving birth.

A number of the swabs that yielded positive results were from women who have just given birth in the Capitol-run district and provincial hospitals--one from Liloan, one from Samboan, and one from Badian-- all first cases for the local government units.

Two of the positive tests were taken from infants--one new born from Toledo City and one one-year-old from San Fernando. These are also first cases. Minglanilla has also reported one more positive case.

Cebu City

Yesterday, the City Health Department reported nine new cases—eight from Barangay Ermita and one from Barangay Mambaling, which has the most number of cases at 614. The city also reported a total of 102 recoveries.

City Legal Officer Rey Gealon, who is also Mayor Edgardo Labella’s spokesperson, said only 38 out of the city’s 80 barangays are affected. Most of the patients are asymptomatic and are now undergoing isolation either at the designated Barangay Isolation Centers or at home.  FPL (FREEMAN)