ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 09 May) — The number of active COVID-19 cases here has risen to 2,073 as of May 8, with 2,012 or 97% due to community transmission.
Of the total number of cases – 7,642 — Mayor Isabelle Climaco, quoting figures from the Oficina de Salud (City Health Office), said 2,012 of the total active cases are due to) community transmission while the number of recoveries rose to 5,102, the number of deaths at 287.
City Health Officer Dr. Dulce Miravite named the barangays with the most number of cases as Calarian (171 cases), Tetuan (146), Sta. Maria (134), Tumaga (112), San Roque (100), Guiwan (96), Talon-Talon (95), Putik (82), Pasonanca (81), San Jose Gusu (62), Tugbungan (62), Canelar (61), San Jose Cawa-Cawa (54), Baliwasan (53), Sinunuc (47), Mercedes (40), Cabatangan (35), Sta. Catalina (35), Divisoria (34), and Boalan (34).
The National Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infection Diseases (NIATF-EID) on Wednesday placed Zamboanga City under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) from May 8 to 14 because of the spike in cases.
Climaco called for public support and cooperation to “help control and prevent transmission in the community and to help doctors and health workers who are now overwhelmed with the increasing cases.”
Police and military authorities along with barangay officials and other force multipliers are ensuring full implementation of the MECQ guidelines, implementing health protocols, curfew, liquor ban, strict use of quarantine passes on scheduled days and others.
The Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) through the different pólice stations and operating units recorded a total of 387 violations on the first day of the MECQ, most of which were related to not bringing the quarantine pass as 214 violators were recorded. Other violations were non-wearing of face shield (59), non-wearing of face mask (37), non-observance of physical distancing (31), curfew (19), use of unauthorized helmet (16) and unauthorized motorcycle backriding (11).
“Soldiers and policemen are jointly enforcing the EO through the conduct of checkpoints, coatal patrols and roving activities, among others,” Climaco said.
Meanwhile, Yaya Jojo Abdusalam, Executive Assistant on Muslim Affairs, called on Muslims in the city to comply with the health protocols in observance of Ramadan and celebration of Eid’l Fitr.
Addressing fellow Muslims, Laisa Mausuhud Alamia, Minority Leader at the Bangsamoro Parliament in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, reminded them that “COVID-19 is real. People have died because of COVID-19 nd its complications. The ones admitted in the hospital and have recovered are for real. It is not fake news.”
Mayor Climaco had earlier lamented that “some people are accusing the goverment that we are making up the COIVD-19 cases.”
“COVID cases have to be lowered to give the hospital health workers the breathing space that they badly needed. The MECQ had to be imposed because many have been lax with the compliance to the health protocols,” Climaco said. (Frencie Carreon / MindaNews)