COVID-19 cases in Quezon City reach 8,589

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Quezon City as tallied by the Department of Health reached 8,589 as of Saturday, August 15, the Quezon City Government said.

The local government unit said 8,514 of these had complete addresses in Quezon City.

The city's Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit and District Health Offices meanwhile have validated 8,488 cases.

The total active cases as of August 15 numbered 2,149.

Recoveries totaled 5,982 so far while the death toll was at 357.

The Quezon City government, however, stressed that the city has the biggest population in the country. In the Department of Health's list of Cities with the Most COVID-19 Cases per Million Residents, Quezon City only ranked 16th.

It added that the recovery rate among COVID-19 cases was good at 71%.

Lockdowns

The LGU also said the following areas are under special concern lockdown due to the number of COVID-19 cases in the area:

• 950 Interior, Aurora Boulevard in Mangga
• Sitio Ambuklao in Baesa
• Portion of Sitio Cabuyao 6A in Sauyo
• 72 Fulgencio Street, Sitio Lambak in Krus na Ligas
• 17 Isarog Street in Sta. Teresita
• Valencia Hills Condominium in Valencia

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• 198 E. Rodriguez Sr. Blvd. in Doña Imelda (starting August 15)

On Saturday, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles and Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said the national government and the local government would work together to assess and assist areas placed under special concern lockdowns.

"As I said earlier, in the interim we are looking at several specific areas of concern. While there are 25 barangays—or specific areas in these barangays—that may require special attention, no decision has been made regarding locking these barangays down. We believe that more coordinations is needed with the QCLGU, and we are here to help," Nograles said.

The LGU clarified in a statement that Nograles' suggestion is still being studied.

"Nais bigyang-linaw ng lokal na pamahalaan ng Quezon City ang isyu ukol sa umano’y pag-lockdown ng iba’t-ibang barangay sa lungsod. Una, hindi totoo na may 25 barangay sa QC na idineklara bilang lockdown areas. Nabanggit po lamang ito ni Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles bilang mungkahi, at kasalukuyan itong pinag-aaralan pa ng QC LGU," the LGU said in a Facebook post.

The Inter-Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) Resolution No. 62 directed cabinet secretaries to work with LGUs with areas identified with high community transmission" and to "monitor health system performance, critical care capacity, and stringent compliance to surveillance, isolation and treatment protocols."

Nograles and Health Secretary Francisco Duque III were assigned to assist the Quezon City Government in this regard.

Belmonte said the national government efforts will augment LGUs' actions so far.

"Yung dagdag na resources at yung pag-harmonize ng datos, plano, at aksyon, lahat po ito makakatulong," she said.

Belmonte said any barangay or area that will be placed under special concern lockdown will be given prior notice and enough support.

"We will make sure the support of the City is there. Hindi po natin sila gugulatin; since day one, we have been in close communicating with our barangay captains,” the mayor said.

Nograles said Quezon City's six-step approach in addressing the COVID-19 threat is consistent with guidelines and protocols set by the World Health Organization and the national government.

The approach include controlling transmissions; ensuring health capacities are in place such as testing, isolation, treatment and contact tracing; managing outbreaks in certain special settings such as health facilities and urban communities; imposing preventive measures in workplaces and essential places, including transportation settings; managing importations; and engaging, empowering and informing communities down to the barangay level. —KG, GMA News