Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 23) — San Juan city reported no new coronavirus infections on Friday, the first time in more than two months, Mayor Francis Zamora confirmed on Saturday.
“Sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon simula po March 12, 2020, wala pong naitalang bagong kaso ng COVID-19 dito sa San Juan. Napakagandang balita po para sa ating lahat,” Zamora said in a Facebook post.
[Translation: For the very first time since March 12, 2020, no new COVID-19 case was reported here in San Juan. This is good news for us all.]
Zamora also said there were no additional coronavirus-related deaths on Friday, while 14 more residents have recovered from the viral illness.
The city government’s tally shows the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases stands at 302. Of this number, 40 have died while 138 have recovered.
Meanwhile, the Department of Health’s official tracker shows 273 COVID-19 cases in the city as of May 17. The DOH has explained it takes time to validate reports from various sources.
Zamora encouraged San Juan residents to participate in contract tracing efforts through the website sanjuan.staysafe.ph to prevent further spread of the virus.
In March, the city of San Juan held the record for the most number of COVID-19 cases in the country. The first local case of the coronavirus disease was a 62-year-old patient who frequented a prayer hall in Greenhills, San Juan, but was considered a patient from Cainta, Rizal where he lived.
The city government began coronavirus testing of frontliners and patients suspected of coronavirus infection last month. Several local governments are also doing their own testing while the national government tries to increase its testing capacity.
