4 new QC COVID-19 cases home isolate over lack of hospital beds

Four new cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Quezon City were quarantined at home due to the lack of space in hospitals, Mayor Joy Belmonte said Saturday.

"Nasa bahay ang mga pasyente, no? Dahil nga sa kakulangan ng mga kama or mga kwarto sa ating mga hospital," Belmonte said in Saleema Refran's report on 24 Oras Weekend.

The first case was a 49-year-old male cook at a restaurant in Greenhills with no travel history. The patient was from Barangay Tatalon.

The second case was a 25-year-old male call center agent with no travel history from Barangay Masagana.

The third case was a 60-year-old housewife who was a dialysis patient from Barangay Ramon Magsaysay with no travel history.

The fourth case is a 51-year-old businessman from Barangay Bungad with travel history to Japan. 

"Ibig sabihin nu'n ay nakipag-kapwa na sila doon sa mga kapitbahay at sa kapamilya nila, so the risk has now multiplied, no? At ngayon, we now have to test their family members," she added.

As there were already two confirmed cases from different houses in Barangay Maharlika, local authorities placed two areas under an extreme enhanced community quarantine.

Though there was only one case in Barangay Tatalon, it had also been placed under extreme enhanced quarantine due to the presence of the urban poor in the area.

"Sa isang bahay, maaaring tatlo, apat, ang pamilya na nakatira doon, maaaring tabi-tabi talaga ang mga bahay," she said.

"The risk of transmission is much, much greater, no? So we have to take extra precautions kapag ang mga communities na po natin ang naapektuhan," she added.

Local authorities have barricaded Kaliraya Street in Barangay Tatalon.

Barangay officials and Task Force personnel were also monitoring the city while wearing masks and gloves.

Despite this, many individuals were still loitering along the streets while some had congregated in groups.

"Hindi po natin maagapan gawa ng matitigas po ang ulo ng mga, ano natin, kapitbahay natin, eh. Pero kahit papaano po 'yung iba sumusunod na," Richard Esguerra, a traffic officer of Barangay Tatalon, said.

There were a total of 44 COVID-19 cases in the city while the nationwide tally had reached 307. — Joahna Lei Casilao/DVM, GMA News