Portions of 2 San Juan streets under ECQ; closure of Agora Market extended — Zamora

The local government of San Juan City has placed portions of two streets under enhanced community quarantine after more residents tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Mayor Francis Zamora said portions of C. Santos Street in Barangay Balong Bato, which has seven residents positive for COVID-19, and J. Eustaquio Street in Barangay Progreso, which has five COVID19 cases, have been declared critical zones from July 7 to July 22.

“We want to make sure we contain the virus and prevent it from spreading to other areas. The residents along these streets will be taken care of by the San Juan City Government,” Zamora said in a statement.

The affected 153 families in C. Santos Street and 165 families in J. Eustaquio Street will be given food packs four times during the 15-day quarantine. The mayor said law enforcers would be manning key posts to make sure the residents are following quarantine protocols.

Agora Market

Meanwhile, Zamora also directed the extension of the closure of Agora Market until July 15 after 23 of the 614 results released so far came in positive of COVID-19 from the 647 swab tests conducted on the market vendors and workers.

Zamora said those who had tested positive for the disease are asymptomatic and are now under isolation. Their close contacts are also in quarantine and were already subjected for COVID-19 testing.

"I ordered the temporary closure of the market pending the results of the swab tests conducted on our market vendors and workers. Unfortunately, a number of them turned out positive so we are extending the closure as per the guidelines of IATF and NTF. The health and well-being of San Juañenos must take precedence," he said.

Zamora said vendors would be allowed to go back to Agora Market, which is continuously being sanitized, on July 16.

Closed wards

It was also announced that the San Juan Medical Center has closed its OB and Pediatric Wards after two staff tested positive for COVID-19.

San Juan Medical Center Medical director Dr. Joseph Acosta ordered the temporary closure of the said wards after a doctor and a nurse, despite being in full PPE, turned out positive post-exposure to a COVID-19-positive patient who had to undergo emergency C-section and hysterectomy in the hospital.

"Both mother and baby are safe while the two medical personnel are asymptomatic. All close contacts of the patients and the medical personnel were already swabbed and quarantined," Acosta said.

It is eyed that the wards would be opened again on July 11 after thorough disinfection. — RSJ, GMA News