Following a surge in Covid-19 cases in Cebu province, Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar on Wednesday urged Cebuanos to “strictly” comply with minimum public health standards to prevent the further spread of infection.
Cebu province on Tuesday reported 280 new Covid-19 cases, bringing the total number of active cases to 4,487, the highest number of active cases reported in the province since the pandemic started in 2020.
Last week, Cebu province and the highly urbanized cities of Cebu, Mandaue, and Lapu-Lapu were placed under Alert Level 4, along with 33 other LGUs due to rising Covid-19 cases and high hospital utilization rates.
“With the serious Covid-19 concern placed on Cebu province, especially in the highly urbanized cities of Cebu, Mandaue, and Lapu-Lapu, we call on our fellow Bisaya to strictly comply and observe the government-imposed health protocols and stringent quarantine restrictions in your respective areas in order to ensure that we collectively manage and address the Covid-19 situation in the province,” Andanar said in a press statement.
He reminded Cebuanos that being under Covid-19 Alert Level 4 indicates that “serious action must be done.”
“It should not only be fulfilled by the government, but also by each and everyone situated within Cebu province. It is only when all of us are doing our part that we will be able to control and slow down the spread of the virus, particularly with the presence of the Delta variant,” he added.
Andanar also encouraged the public to monitor updates concerning heightened quarantine restrictions implemented by the government, through PCOO’s programs namely the Laging Handa Public Briefing, Network Briefing News, Laging Handa Dokyu, and social media pages.
“May all of us be able to overcome this challenge as one nation towards our collective recovery,” he said
The Cebu provincial government placed 11 of the 44 local government units (LGUs) under its jurisdiction back to modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) with heightened restrictions starting Aug. 11.
The cities and towns under MECQ are: Minglanilla, Samboan, Sibonga, Argao, Cordova, Oslob, Consolacion, Liloan, Talisay, Carcar, and Naga.
Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia issued executive order (EO) 38 raising the general community quarantine (GCQ) status of the province to MECQ following “a spike of active cases in the past few days” in these cities and municipalities.
“Under IATF-MEID Resolution No 29, series of 2020, the Provincial Governor is authorized to impose enhanced community quarantine in component cities, municipalities, and barangays,” the EO read. (PNA)
