HEALTH Secretary Francisco Duque III has directed the Epidemiology Bureau of the Department of Health (DOH) to strictly monitor the cases of coronavirus infection in Cebu City and Central Visayas.
DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Thursday, June 18, 2020, that they were coordinating closely with the local government units in Central Visayas (Region 7) and the National Task Force against Covid-19 in order to better understand the situation on the ground.
Confirmed cases in Central Visayas, mostly from Cebu City, have been increasing. Cebu City is the provincial capital of Cebu province. Aside from Cebu, the region is also composed of Bohol, Negros Oriental and Siquijor.
Cebu City reverted to enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) on June 16 because of a high critical care utilization rate, fast case doubling rate and widespread transmission of the disease.
Except for the Talisay City, which is under modified ECQ, the rest of Central Visayas is under general community quarantine (GCQ) until June 20, 2020.
"The Secretary of the DOH has already designated our Epidemiology Bureau to closely monitor the cases and the overall situation in that region," Vergeire said in her regular online briefing Thursday.
On Monday, June 15, Duque also said during the meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte that he will send a surveillance team to Cebu City.
As of June 18, there were 5,092 confirmed cases in Central Visayas, including 91 deaths and 1,584 recoveries.
Cebu City reported 4,137 total infections as of June 18, including 2,001 recoveries and 58 deaths. (With a report from HDT/VoxPop Philippines)