ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 12 May) – Two nuns of the Order of the Discalced Carmelites (OCD) are among the latest COVID-19 fatalities here.
The Carmelite Monastery of Zamboanga announced in its Facebook page on Monday the demise of Sr. Ann (nee Maria Annabelle) Casimiro of the Mother of God, OCD, and Sr. Mary Bernard (nee Bernardita) Escucha of the Sacred Passion, OCD. Sr. Ann was 72 years old while Sr. Mary, 88.
In a phone call, a certain Sr. Delia of the Carmelite Monastery confirmed that apart from their loss, three other nuns with COVID-19 are confined in the hospitals.
“We are on a lockdown here,” she said.
Fr. Karel San Juan, S.J., president of the Ateneo de Zamboanga University, expressed condolences to the nuns in behalf of the Jesuit community in a social media post. Fr. Butch Mongaya, of the Sta. Maria Parish, sought for prayers for the recovery of the three other confined sisters.
Dr. Dulce Miravite, City Health Officer, announced on Monday that the city has a total of 7,695 cases, 1,999 of which are still active. There have also been 5,405 recoveries against 291 deaths.
“Among these 1,999 active cases, 128 are confined at the Zamboanga City Medical Center, 84 in private hospitals, 252 are in different isolation facilities, 925 are in home facilities, and 610 are to be transferred to isolation facilities,” Miravite stated in a virtual press conference.
She added that of the 1,999 active cases, 1,984 are community transmissions.
Dr. Elmeir Jade Apolinario, local chief implementer of the IATF, said that all six isolation facilities are now being used even as some of them are still under repair.
He said 11 are admitted at the Harmony Village, 30 at Euntes, and 75 at the EcoZone. Apolinario said the Cabatangan Isolation Facility is already full, ADZU Lantaka is half full, as well as the facility at the Joaquin Enriquez Memorial Sports Complex.
“Some [of these facilities] are under repair as they have been used for more than a year, and some are undergoing minor repairs. We are working on the mega isolation facility to be completed,” Apolinario said. (Frencie Carreon / MindaNews)