The Marikina City government has approved the procurement of 3,000 test kits for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) following the reported five confirmed cases of the disease in the area.

Mayor Marcelino Teodoro said the four new Covid-19 cases are all family members of an 86-year-old man who became the first Covid-19 case recorded in the city.

“Those four who were the new Covid-19 cases were relatives of the first case. They all came from one household so this is just local transmission and not community transmission. No neighbors or outsiders were affected,” Teodoro said in a media statement on Wednesday.

The five are among the 33 Covid-19 cases confirmed by the Department of Health (DOH) on Tuesday.

He said the four new cases recorded in the city are showing signs of recovery.

The 86-year-old man, who traveled to South Korea, was in critical condition on Tuesday while he was being treated at the hospital, he added.

He also said three overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who are returning from Japan volunteered to undergo quarantine on March 15.

He said five residents — who came in close contact with those who tested positive for the disease — voluntarily submitted themselves for quarantine and are now about to be tested for Covid-19.

Teodoro said the Covid-19 testing kits that they will purchase are the ones developed by the scientists from the University of the Philippines (UP) National Institutes of Health, which was approved by Food and Drug Administration director Eric Domingo.

He said it is vital to quickly test people exhibiting symptoms of Covid-19 so that contact tracing will be immediately done to contain and prevent the spread of the disease should a resident test positive for the disease.

“Ito ay para maging effective and timely ang contact tracing natin para ma-contain at hindi na mag-spread, at para na rin ma-disinfect din natin ang mga lugar na pinuntahan nila (This is for the contact tracing to be effective and timely in order to contain the virus as well as disinfect the areas where they have been to),” he said.

He urged the Marikenos to remain calm amid the situation.

He also reminded residents to stay indoors as much as possible, observe proper hygiene, hand washing and coughing etiquette to prevent the spread of the disease.

“I assure the public that the local government unit of Marikina is ready to fight against Covid-19. After the first case of the disease was recorded in the city, I have ordered for massive disinfection of public spaces in the city to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in the city. Our disinfection activities are being conducted regularly. We have ensured that (thermal) scanners and hand sanitizers are in place at all times in entrances of establishments,” he said.

He has activated the Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams to monitor possible cases of Covid-19. (PNA)