QC lifts special lockdown in 3 areas over absence of new COVID-19 cases

The Quezon City government has lifted the Special Concern Lockdown (SCL) imposed on three areas after these sections of the city completed a 14-day quarantine period without new positive coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases.

Assistant City Administrator for Operations Alberto Kimpo said that Masbate Street in Barangay Batasan Hills, and Victory Avenue and BMA Avenue in Barangay Tatalon were no longer under an 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 seven were swabbed for they were symptomatic or positive for the IgM antibody.

In BMA Avenue, Cruz said that only five 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 percent were endorsed for PCR test.

Cruz said the QCHD recommended the lifting of the lockdown on Masbate Street after the person being monitored in the area tested negative.

Kimpo said the SCL in the remaining eight initial areas would stay for another seven days, adding that the decision was based on the recommendation of the QCHD.

"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, Barangay 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 needed 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. — DVM, GMA News