DAVAO CITY (MindaNews /04 July) — Mayor Sara Duterte has placed the entire Barangay 23-C under a 14-day ‘hard lockdown,’ the only one out of 182 barangays in Davao City, effective 1 p.m. on Saturday as more residents tested positive of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
In a press release issued by the City Information Office, Duterte said a hard lockdown has been enforced to cut the transmission of COVID-19 in the heavily populated barangay of 18,000 residents, after local health authorities reported 17 residents infected with the virus from June 28 to July 3.
Barangay 23-C, categorized as “very high risk,” has recorded 88 cases of COVID-19, including two deaths. The youngest COVID-19 case from this barangay was a 25-day old infant and the eldest was 75 years old.
Residents pass through a disinfection booth on Monday ( 29 June 2020) before entering Barangay 23-C, one of the high-risk villages in Davao City due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases there. MindaNews Photo
“The situation in Barangay 23-C is very severe because we have so many patients who come from Barangay 23-C. This has been the subject of several meetings already to know what interventions we should do in that area,” she said during a live interview over Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR 87.5) on Friday.
Duterte warned Dabawenyos from going to Barangay 23-C to protect themselves from the virus.
As of July 3, the Department of Health-Davao reported a total of 587 COVID-19 cases in the region: 449 in Davao City, 50 in Davao del Norte, 22 in Davao del Sur, 32 in Davao de Oro, 30 in Davao Oriental, and four in Davao Occidental.
“We advise everyone to avoid going to that area for whatever reason, be it for work or not, or going to establishments that are within this area. Let us refrain from doing so, for now, because the area is very critical,” she said.
City Health Office head Dr. Joy Villafuerte said similar restrictions implemented under an enhanced community quarantine would be applied in the barangays, which would limit the movement of the people who will be confined within the community for a minimum of 14 days.
She said no one is allowed to enter or leave the barangay until such time that the transmission of the virus is controlled.
Barangays 21-C and 23-C, Davao City. Map courtesy of Google
The City Social Welfare and Development Office will provide daily food rations to residents in Barangay 23-C while psychosocial interventions will likewise be provided.
Security forces will be deployed to monitor the area.
Other areas classified as “very high risk” are Agdao Proper, Bucana, Buhangin Proper, Cabantian, Leon Garcia, Ma-a and Matina Crossing. Identified high-risk areas are Barangay 5-A, 19-B, 22-C, Talomo Proper, and Wilfredo Aquino. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)
