CALOOCAN CITY, May 31 (PIA) --The Quezon City government has lifted the Special Concern Lockdown (SCL) imposed in three areas after completing the 14-day period without new positive coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases.
Assistant City Administrator for Operations Alberto Kimpo said Masbate St. in Barangay Batasan Hills, and Victory Avenue and BMA Avenue in Barangay Tatalon are no longer under SCL following the recommendation of the Quezon City Health Department (QCHD).
“These areas have completed the 14-day lockdown period, which also entailed rapid testing and confirmatory swab testing,” said Kimpo.
Dr. Rolly Cruz, head of the QC-Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (ESU) of the QCHD, said that out of the 137 residents in Victory Avenue who underwent rapid testing, only 7 were swabbed for they are symptomatic or positive for IgM.
In BMA Avenue, Cruz said that only 5 out of 72 residents were swabbed.
“Residents who tested positive for IgM and those negative for IgG and IgM antibodies but have symptoms of COVID-19 automatically underwent a confirmatory PCR test,” said Cruz.
Out of the 12 residents from Victory Avenue and BMA Avenue who were tested using PCR kits, only one tested positive and was immediately extracted from the area.
As of May 29, a total of 3381 rapid tests have been conducted in all special concern areas with only 6.06% were endorsed for PCR test.
Cruz said the QCHD recommended the lifting of the lockdown of Masbate Street after the person being monitored in the area tested negative.
Kimpo said the SCL in the remaining eight initial areas will stay for another seven days, adding that the decision is based on the recommendation of the QCHD.
“Since this is a health crisis and not a peace and order or military crisis, our actions will always be based on the recommendation of our health department. We will act on these recommendations to protect and secure our residents,” said Kimpo.
"We are continuously monitoring additional areas placed under special concern lockdown like Certeza Compound in Barangay Culiat and Alley 2, Homart Road in Barangay. Baesa," Kimpo said.
Starting June 1, the local government will place Calle 29, Brgy Libis under SCL after a cluster of active cases was identified in the area where 105 families reside.
Meanwhile, as Metro Manila prepares for the implementation of the General Community Quarantine (GCQ) on June 1, Mayor Joy Belmonte said the city is eyeing temporary accommodations for residents from the lockdown areas who need to go back to work.
“Ideally, people in lockdown areas should not go out of their households but since GCQ will be implemented next week and some of them need to go back to work, we are discussing the possibility of having temporary shelters for these workers,” Belmonte said. (QC PAISD/PIA-NCR)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
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