QC places 2 barangays under heightened community quarantine, sets up 'hot and warm zones'

The Quezon City government on Wednesday placed two of its barangays under a heightened community quarantine after confirming three cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 in each barangay. 

At a press conference, the Quezon City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (QCDRRMO) identified the two barangays as Tandang Sora and Kalusugan. The heightened quarantine will start on Thursday, at 6 a.m.

"Okay, sa Barangay Kalusugan we will implement a heightened community quarantine, dito sa mga barangays na ito: Barangay Kalusugan and Barangay Tandang Sora," QCDRRMO head Michael Marasigan said.

The local government has already designated the houses of the confirmed cases at the two barangays as "hot zones," where an "extreme enhanced quarantine" will be observed.

"So ibig sabihin lang po ng hot zone, dito po natin gagawin yung extreme enhanced quarantine doon po sa mismong bahay. So hindi na po natin papayagan yung mga nakatira doon na lumabas at may pumasok pang iba,"  Marasigan said, adding that the area will be under surveillance 24/7.

"This is already coordinated also with barangay captains. They will be the frontline in terms of making sure na making sure din ng pag quarantine, extreme community quarantine," he added.

Meanwhile, the area within a 500-meter radius of the houses of the confirmed cases was designated as a "warm zone", where strict monitoring and surveillance will be done.

"Pag warm zone naman, yung within the 500-meter, dito naman ipapatupad ang ating strict monitoring surveillance in and out of the affected area. So it's an area quarantine," he said.

According to Marasigan, non-essential persons will no longer be allowed entry into the warm zones of the two barangays.

QC Mayor Joy Belmonte, at the same press conference, admitted that apart from Barangays Tandang Sora and Kalusugan, two other barangays have been "causing us some sleepless nights."

"[One is Barangay] Matandang Balara pero ang magandang balita doon, it was confined to one subdivision. Actually iyong isa, he passed away. But the other one is well and has recovered. Na-swab na ang relatives nila and okay na. Negative. So it is no longer a problem area for us," she said.

"Iyong [Barangay] BL Crame... isang pamilya lang sila. Iyong dalawa nakauwi na pero iyong nanay, naiwan sa hospital and last that I heard is she is well," she added.

There are 29 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Quezon City while there are 202 cases nationwide. -Joahna Lei Casilao/MDM, GMA News