Cebu jails remain plagued; 29 new virus cases noted

CEBU, Philippines — While the number of Cebu residents who have contracted the coronavirus continues to dwindle, jails remain threatened with 29 new cases reported in two facilities here yesterday.

Eleven of the 16 new cases reported in Cebu City came from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology-run Cebu City Jail while all 18 of the new cases in Mandaue City were inmates of Mandaue City Jail.

The BJMP toll in Cebu City is now 444.

The other new positive cases in Cebu City are two from Barangay Suba; one from Barangay Pasil; one from Barangay Punta Princesa; and one from Barangay Mambaling.

Cebu City now has a total of 1,765 positive cases.

The good news yesterday was that two previously positive cases from Barangay Luz turned negative in laboratory test.

With that, city has already logged a total of 104 recoveries.

Also yesterday, about 50 positive patients housed at the barangay isolation center in Luz were finally allowed to go home after finishing their mandatory 14-day quarantine.

Mandaue City

With the 18 inmates found positive for the virus, Mandaue City now has a total of 131 confirmed cases, including six recoveries and three deaths.

Of the 131 cases, 107 are inmates of the city jail and one BJMP worker.

On Monday, a male newborn from Sitio Riverside, Barangay Looc also tested positive for the virus.

The baby is currently admitted at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center with his mother, who is still awaiting result of her swab test, said Atty. John Eddu Ibañez, head of Mandaue City Public Information Office.

2 Deaths in Talisay

Meanwhile, the province recorded three positive cases of the coronavirus disease yesterday out of the 53 swabs run in its component cities and municipalities.

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said two of these cases were from Talisay City and both had passed away due to “non-COVID-related causes.”

According to a post by Talisay Mayor Gerard Anthony “Samsam” Gullas, one was a 62-year-old male resident of Barangay Tabunok who suffered a heart attack. The patient died upon arrival at the Talisay District Hospital but was still swabbed last May 13.

The other patient from Talisay was a 94-year-old male from Sitio Atisan, Barangay Cansojong who was admitted in the same hospital May 12 for complications of prostate illness. He was swabbed on the same day but died the day after.

Gullas said that along with city health personnel, he will be analyzing the data relating to the six deaths recorded in the city.

“If my memory serves me right, all patients who have passed away had comorbidities and had medical conditions. Meaning ang patient nanay gibati daan, ni adto sa hospital, was tested, nigawas positive and unfortunately passed away,” his post read.

The other one positive case from the province was a repeat test from an inmate of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center.

The recent numbers put the cumulative total of cases in Cebu province to 68, with 12 deaths.  JMD (FREEMAN)