SAN FERNANDO CITY, July 5 (PIA) -- The city government of San Fernando has recorded a surge of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases for the past two weeks and is planning to shift to general community quarantine (GCQ).
In a media briefing held on Monday morning, City Mayor Hermenegildo Gualberto reported that the city has 326 active cases as of this writing.
“Sa mga nakaraang dalawang linggo nakitaan po natin ng biglaang pagtaas ng COVID-19 cases ang siyudad ng San Fernando. Tunay itong nakaka-alarma lalo na’t kahapon ay nakapagtala tayo ng 52 panibagong kaso. As of date, mayroon tayong 356 aktibong kaso rito sa siyudad,” Gualberto said.
San Fernando City Mayor Hermenegildo A. Gualberto holds a Media Briefing and gives updates on COVID-19 situation in the city on Juy 5, 2021. (JPD)
He informed that the City COVID-19 Task Force has classified 17 villages as high-risk areas because they have more than seven active cases.
“Nakapag-identify tayo ng 17 high-risk barangays na magkakaroon ng quarantine control points at kung saan ipapatupad ang istriktong pagsunod sa minimum health protocols alinsunod na rin sa ating PITO-PITO Strategy kung saan tinatarget nating bumaba sa zero ang bilang ng mga aktibong kaso sa mga barangay,” he said.
Included in the list are barangays Sevilla, Catbangen, Tanqui, Lingsat, Dallangayan Oeste, Carlatan, Parian, Poro, Dallangayan Este, Sagayad, Barangay 1, Biday, Dalumpinas Oeste, San Francisco, Pias, Cadaclan, and Pagdaraoan.
These areas were also recommended to implement granular lockdowns and for residents to undergo targeted testing.
San Fernando City Mayor Hermenegildo Gualberto informs that the City COVID-19 Task Force has classified 17 of the 59 villages as high-risk areas for COVID-19. (RMN)
Shift to GCQ
Gualberto said the City Health Office has recommended the city to elevate to General Community Quarantine status with restrictions from the current Modified GCQ status to halt local transmission.
“Pinaghahandaan nating isailalim ang lungsod ng San Fernando sa General Community Quarantine with restrictions, mula sa kasalukuyang quarantine classification natin na MGCQ upang malimitahan ang movement ng mga tao na na 'identify' na isang malaking factor sa pagbilis ng local transmission,” the local chief executive said.
He added that this recommendation will be submitted for approval by the City Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) and the Office of the Provincial Governor and for concurrence from the Regional IATF.
San Fernando City Mayor Hermenegildo Gualberto attends a virtual meeting regarding the proposal to change San Fernando's quarantine status to GCQ. (Photo courtesy of the City Government of San Fernando)
APAT Dapat
Gualberto asked for the full cooperation of the public, especially among the residents, on the observance of minimum public health protocols which he coined APAT Dapat.
APAT Dapat stands for:
A - Air Circulation
P - Physical Distancing
A - Always wear mask and shield properly
T - Thirty minutes or less interaction time
“Let us never put our guard down. Ang ating pagsunod sa mga protocols ay hindi lamang para sa kaligtasan ng ating mga sarili kundi pati na rin para sa ating mga mahal sa buhay at sa mga tao sa ating paligid,” he said. (JCR/AMB/JPD, PIA La Union)
