Antipolo market on 14-day lockdown after 18 vendors tested positive for COVID-19

The Antipolo New Public Market is on a two-week lockdown after 18 tenants and vendors tested positive for COVID-19, the local government said.

The 18 patients, 15 of whom are from Antipolo and three from other towns, have been under quarantine since June 25 in the city's quarantine facilities, according to a statement the local government posted on Facebook late Tuesday.

Contact tracing teams are working to identify the patients' close contacts to get them tested, the city said.

Police and barangay officers will ensure no one can enter the New Public Market during the lockdown period, the city said, adding that the establishment will be disinfected.

The 18 COVID-19 patients are among the 800 tenants and market employees who underwent rapid testing as part of the city's expanded targeted testing. Forty-eight people went on to undergo confirmatory swab tests, in which 18 turned out positive, the city said.

Meanwhile, more than 700 vendors at the City Mall of Antipolo underwent rapid testing on June 23. Though 19 were found positive in the rapid test, they all tested negative in the confirmatory PCR test, the city said.

The city government urged private markets and stores to assist their tenants and employees in getting tested for COVID-19.

"Kung wala po kayong panggastos bilang landlords para sa inyong mga tenants, ipaalam niyo lang po sa amin," the city said.

According to the statement, the city health office has conducted around 15,000 COVID-19 rapid and PCR tests, more than its target of 8,000 or 1% of the population.

Antipolo City has recorded 305 confirmed COVID-19 cases, as of Tuesday night. Of this number, 158 patients have recovered and 33 have died. The city has also recorded 145 probable and 123 suspected cases.—AOL, GMA News