Marikina market closed after vendor dies of suspected COVID-19

MANILA, Philippines — The Marikina government yesterday closed sections of its public market after a vendor believed to be infected with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) died.

Mayor Marcelino Teodoro ordered the closure following the death of a 72-year-old vendor, who succumbed to respiratory illness.

“As a precautionary measure, we closed sections of the public market for disinfection and contact tracing,” Teodoro said.

He said the fish, poultry, meat, grocery, carinderia, fruits and vegetables sections would be sanitized.

Teodoro said the vendor showed symptoms of COVID-19, but was never tested.

He urged people who had contact with the vendor to go to the city health office for interview.

There were 79 cases of COVID-19 in Marikina with 17 deaths and 11 recoveries.

Manila lockdown

The Manila Police District (MPD) urged Mayor Isko Moreno yesterday to place on lockdown areas with the most number of quarantine violators.

Other areas eyed for lockdown are the Baseco Compound, Parola Compound and those under the jurisdiction of the MPD Stations 1 and 2 in Tondo.

“We have to be decisive. People are taking the enhanced community quarantine for granted. It’s about time we impose law and order,” MPD director Brig. Gen. Rolando Miranda said.

Miranda on Sunday confirmed that Sampaloc district would be placed on a 48-hour lockdown amid the rising cases of COVID-19 in the area.

City hall will issue guidelines before implementing the lockdown, police said.

Quarantine violators paraded

In Caloocan, violators of the enhanced community quarantine were made to walk in a procession over the weekend.

City police chief Col. Dario Menor said 214 violators were made to march while holding a rope to keep them a meter apart from each other on the way to city hall.

The residents were nabbed for loitering in the streets of Sangandaan, Maypajo and Bagong Barrio.

Menor denied that the parade of quarantine violators was a shame campaign.

Under a city ordinance, curfew violators are fined up to P5,000. It does not state that violators must go on a procession as punishment.

Erap helps trike drivers

Former Manila mayor Joseph Estrada distributed 1,500 food packs to tricycle drivers displaced by the enhanced community quarantine in Tondo over the weekend.

The distribution of relief goods was part of Estrada’s 83rd birthday celebration.

He said public transport drivers are among those affected by the lockdowns.