Garcia Mulls Massive Targeted Covid-19 Testing in Cebu Province

Although the current data of confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases in Cebu province is not alarming, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia is contemplating on implementing a massive targeted testing.

“I met earlier with the doctors of UP (University of the Philippines) medical group to come up with how we can slowly but surely go back to economic activity,” Garcia was quoted as saying in the Cebu Capitol news site, Sugbo News.

In line with the plan, the provincial government will purchase some 50,000 kits to be used to test individuals being monitored for Covid-19 in all towns and cities.

The massive targeted testing will get a specific number per town based on demographic data the Capitol will collate in order to maximize utilization of the kits, Garcia said.

Accordingly, the massive testing will be done in partnership with the UP-Cebu medical alumni, which will identify the towns, cities or communities, depending on factors like population density, presence of Covid-19 positive patients, and location to the nearest area where confirmed cases are high.

Garcia decided to conduct massive testing to confirm the data that shows a slower increase in coronavirus-positive patients from the towns and cities of the province.

The Department of Health (DOH)-Central Visayas data as of Monday showed only three confirmed cases of Covid-19 from Cebu province, with one case each in the towns of Cordova and Consolacion and the city of Talisay.

The 84-year-old male resident of Talisay city was the only fatality recorded in the province.

Apart from the three local government units (LGU) under the provincial control, Lapu-Lapu Ciy has 11 cases and six in Mandaue.

However, Cebu City has a total of 166 cases, bringing the total number of positive cases to 186 in the entire Cebu island.

The rising number of Covid-19 cases in Cebu City has forced both Garcia and Mayor Edgardo Labella to issue executive orders (EO) imposing new stringent measures apart from the existing ones under the enhanced community quarantine.

Garcia issued an EO cancelling the exemptions given to workers of supermarkets, grocery stores, fastfood chains, business process outsourcing, pharmacies and bakeries among others which were previously able to cross boundaries, effective on Tuesday (April 21).

Garcia ordered the closure of access points to the southern towns via Barangay Bulacao, the boundary of Talisay City and Cebu City in the south and the Mahiga Creek ingress to Mandaue City via M. Logarta Avenue for northern Cebu, as well as the Balamban town in the western part of Cebu that has access to city central via the Cebu Transcentral Highway.

Labella, for his part, issued an EO implementing a number-coding scheme for vehicles. Those with plate numbers ending in odd numbers (1, 3, 5, 7, 9) are only allowed to ply the city streets every Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

All vehicles with plate numbers ending in even numbers (2, 4, 6, 8, 0) are allowed to ply only on every Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

No vehicles are allowed to roam around the city on Sundays. (PNA)