109 Tondo residents positive for COVID

MANILA, Philippines — The number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in Manila increased yesterday despite the implementation of the hard lockdown in Tondo’s District 1.

Out of 1,409 Tondo residents who were tested during the lockdown, 109 turned out positive for COVID-19, bringing the city’s total cases to 581 with 73 deaths and 11 recoveries, according to the Manila health department.

City hall said of the 911 suspected carriers of the virus, 784 have undergone swab testing.

Sampaloc, which was earlier placed on lockdown, recorded the most number of COVID-19 cases with 118, followed by Tondo District 1 with 213 and Tondo District 2 with 56.

Police have arrested 204 lockdown violators.

At least 800 Manila policemen backed up by 250 Special Action Force commandos enforced the lockdown.

4 cops catch virus

Four more Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing to 109 the number of police officers infected with the virus.

PNP spokesman Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said the new patients are three women and a man aged 32 to 45.

The four – all assigned in Metro Manila – are undergoing treatment, Banac said.

Three police officers died and 17 have recovered from the disease.

No new cases in Pateros

In Pateros, the municipal government recorded no new cases of COVID-19 since last week.

The residents infected with the virus stood at 22 from April 26 to May 1, according to the municipal health office.

Barangay Sta. Ana recorded six COVID-19 cases; Barangays Aguho and Sto. Rosario Silangan have four each; Barangay Tabacalera has two; Barangays Magtanggol, Martirez del ’96, San Pedro and San Roque have one each.

Barangays Poblacion and Sto. Rosario Kanluran remain free from the virus.

Quarantine facilities

With the expected increase in COVID-19 cases after Marikina started its mass testing, the city government opened three more emergency quarantine facilities at the Amang Rodriguez Medical Memorial Center.

Mayor Marcelino Teodoro said the facilities would serve as isolation and treatment areas for symptomatic and asymptomatic patients, bringing the city’s quarantine centers to 100.

The city also plans to construct an additional facility with 100 beds so no patient would have to be turned away.

Last week, the Department of Health issued an accreditation for Marikina’s testing center.

As the city ramped up its mass testing, Teodoro said they expect the number of COVID-19 cases to increase in the coming days.

MMDA personnel test negative

At least 31 personnel of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) have tested negative for the virus after being exposed to a traffic enforcer who died on April 15 after showing COVID-19 symptoms.

The employees underwent rapid diagnostic testing for COVID-19.

“They have completed the 14-day quarantine and none of them has shown symptoms of the virus,” MMDA chairman Danilo Lim said. – With Emmanuel Tupas, Marc Jayson Cayabyab, Neil Jayson Servallos, Ghio Ong