Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said on Wednesday the increase in the number of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases in the city is something that they have been expecting and have prepared for.

“It’s something that we prepared for, it’s something that the city expected as consequences of the holiday season,” Belmonte told the Philippine News Agency.

She said the rise in cases was a result of festivities during the holidays, where people still held private parties with families or neighbors.

Four areas in the city have been placed under special concern lockdown as a preventive measure to curb the further spread of Covid-19.

The four areas placed under lockdown are No. 62 Agno Extension in Barangay Tatalon; No. 1 Salary Street in Barangay Sangandaan; No. 54 Interior, Magsalin Street in Barangay Apolonio Samson; and 9C, 9D, 97 La Felonila St. in Barangay Damayang Lagi.

Currently, there are a total of six areas in the city placed under lockdown as the MCP homeowners’ association and a portion of Pingkian 1, Central B in Barangay Pasong Tamo have been placed under special concern lockdown since Jan. 7 and 14, respectively.

Some 60 families have been affected on Agno Extension in Barangay Tatalon.

Meanwhile, five families are under strict quarantine on Salary Street in Barangay Sangandaan, while 60 families were placed under lockdown on Magsalin Street and 150 families on La Felonila Street.

The city government said 48 individuals in MCP HOA underwent swab testing and all tested negative.

“Dun sa mga naka special concern lockdown, sa mga mamamayan, wag silang mangamba dahil sa special concern lockdown dahil ang ibig sabihin lang naman nito ay meron tayong proactive na ginagawa para huwag kumalat yung virus sa ating komunidad (Those under special concern lockdown, do not worry because this only means that we are being proactive to contain the spread of the virus in our communities),” she said.

Proactive strategies

“Yung strategy naman ng city (The strategy of the city is that) we’re very proactive with locking down,” Belmonte said.

She said the city government places an area under special concern lockdown once clustering of Covid-19 cases is seen, signaling community transmission.

Belmonte said this happens when two or more people, siblings or neighbors in a certain area, test positive for Covid-19.

“Pag ganun medyo OA (over-acting) kami, nag-la-lockdown kami para ma-test lahat ng tao dun sa lugar para ma curtail agad o ma-contain yung community transmission (When that is the case, we are a bit overacting, we impose a lockdown so we can test all residents in that specific area, so we can immediately curtail or contain community transmission),” she said.

Belmonte said special concern lockdowns should not cause an alarm among residents.

She said they do not impose lockdowns on barangays since the city has huge villages.

She said areas placed under special concern lockdowns are usually streets, small alleys, or sometimes, even compounds.

Belmonte assured that affected families are being taken care of by the city government.

“Also, the city naman, we take care of them so kung na-lockdown sila we provide for their food and needs for two weeks for the period of their lockdown (The city takes care of them. If they were placed under lockdown, we provide food and their needs for two weeks during the period of the lockdown). And then we test all of them,” she said.

She said in previous cases, granular lockdowns were lifted as soon as concerned individuals turned out to be negative for Covid-19.

This time, Belmonte said she makes it a point that the 14-day mandatory quarantine is observed. (PNA)