Mayor Jerry Treñas has stressed the need to maintain efforts against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to sustain the downward trend in the number of new cases in Iloilo City.
New coronavirus infections in the city decreased to single digits in the past days. From Nov. 21 to 24, the daily average declined to 6.
Despite the improving COVID-19 situation, Treñas said there should be no room for complacency.
The trend, according to the mayor, could be reversed if the city government and the public become complacent.
“Pagsiling ta nubo ang cases, limtan na nila nga may COVID-19 kag indi na sila mag-usar sang face masks, wala face shields, waay naga-observe sang physical distancing,” he said.
Meanwhile, the city government is expecting a high number of overseas workers and locally stranded individuals (LSIs) to return to the city in December.
To prevent the further transmission of the deadly virus, Treñas said all those arriving in the city from outside the Western Visayas region will undergo swab tests and mandatory quarantine.
“Ginabantayan ta subong nga paskwa ang pagsulod sang mga OFW naton kag mga LSI. I-swab nalang naton ang tanan nga mag-alabot because may ara naman kita laboratory, ready naman nga magtest.”
The city government-run COVID-19 testing laboratory in Molo district has already started operating. The Department of Health (DOH)-licensed facility can process up to 400 specimens a day.
As of Nov. 24, the city logged 4,310 confirmed cases of COVID-19, of which 4,035 have recovered and 116 have died, data from the DOH-6 showed.IMT
