Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 30) – The mayor of Iloilo City is appealing to the COVID-19 Inter-agency Task Force to extend the city’s modified enhanced community quarantine status, due to expire on Monday, because of rising coronavirus infections.
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Mayor Jerry Treñas told CNN Philippines’ Newsroom Weekend that the city’s healthcare facilities are currently overwhelmed because all COVID-19 patients in Panay Island are being brought to the city’s hospitals.
“Sa ngayon, mahaba na ang waiting list (At present, the waiting list is long)… The DOH hospital, state university hospital, and private hospitals need additional nurses. The state university hospital needs additional doctors aside from nurses,” said Treñas.
The mayor added that he had written a letter to the Health Department requesting for the augmentation of hospital personnel and bed capacity in the city due to the spike in COVID-19 cases.
“(Health) Secretary (Francisco) Duque said the DOH regional office in Region 6 is still studying the matter and will make recommendations in the next few days,” he said.
The DOH Western Visayas Center for Health Development has yet to confirm if they received Treñas’ letter.
Treñas cited the gradual reopening of the economy and relaxed domestic travel protocols as the reasons why Iloilo City is experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases.
“Ang Iloilo City, which is the regional center both for trade and government, lahat pumupunta dito kaya tumataas ang mga kaso namin (Iloilo City, which is the regional center both for trade and government, is where all the people go, that’s why our cases are rising),” he added.
As of Sunday’s DOH count, Iloilo City recorded a total of 7,769 confirmed COVID-19 cases, of which 1,489 are considered active. A local emergency operations center tallied 107 new cases in the city on May 29.
The local government has placed the following areas under lockdown from May 28-31: Guzman-Jesena (portion of Block 1, JMI Village), Veterans Village (portion of Zone II), Bolilao (Block 47 Great Vision, Block 48 Angelica Store, Block 56), and Tabuc Suba (Tulihaw Street Modern Homes, #372 Maya Street, McArthur Drive).
The Iloilo City Hall suspended its operations last May 24 after 26 workers contracted the coronavirus.
