Residents of Zone 10, Barangay Carmen, Cagayan de Oro line up to register at a checkpoint before going out of their community on Friday, May 8, 2020. Residents, except seniors, may get out provided they have a barangay health pass. MindaNews photo by FROILAN GALLARDO
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews / 08 May) – An entire community here was placed under strict quarantine after the death of a 61-year old female patient due to complications caused by the coronavirus disease.
The patient resided in Zone 10, Barangay Carmen, this city.
Mayor Oscar Moreno ordered police, barangay and health officials to cordon Zone 10, a hillside community, to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Moreno also directed Dr. Joselito Retuya, chief epidemiologist at the Cagayan de Oro Health Office, to start tracking all persons that the patient had contacts with before her death last Wednesday.
“I ordered the city police to cordon or seal off Zone 10, Barangay Carmen.
I ask the residents to please cooperate with the police and stay at home,” the mayor said.
Retuya said initial investigation revealed the woman went to several public places before exhibiting the symptoms of COVID-19 by the end of April.
He said the woman even helped in the repacking and distribution of food assistance packs in Zone 10.
He added she was admitted to the Northern Mindanao Medical Center on May 1 and was swabbed last May 3.
Two days later, the woman died of acute respiratory failure and on May 6, her swab tests showed she was positive of COVID-19.
Police and barangay official officials immediately set up barricades around Zone 10 early Friday Morning.
Vehicles were diverted to other routes and residents have to present their Barangay Exit passes to go to work or buy essential items.
Police officers and barangay tanods were seen stopping senior citizens from going out of Zone 10.
(Froilan Gallardo/MindaNews)