Isko opens 2 more quarantine facilities

MANILA, Philippines — Manila Mayor Isko Moreno yesterday opened two more quarantine centers in the city for persons under monitoring or suspected of having the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Moreno and Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna attended the opening of the quarantine facilities at the P. Gomez Elementary School and San Andres Sports Complex.

There are now eight quarantine facilities in Manila.

Moreno said the city conducts up to 3,000 rapid tests per day and 22 percent of these turn out to be positive during confirmatory swab testing results.

“So for every 100 positive, 22 of them most likely will be confirmed positive for COVID-19. Can you imagine what 22 individuals can do to our community?” Moreno said.

He said a majority of the positive cases in Manila are holders of quarantine passes or those who go out for essential needs.

According to the Manila health department, 563 of the 1,443 COVID-19 cases belong to the 18 to 39 age bracket.

On Tuesday night, Moreno met with 29 university and college presidents via Zoom session.

He convened the local school board to discuss the plans for blended and distance learning.

Moreno said he would allot P500 million budget for the implementation of the distance learning for 275,000 public school students in the city.