By Froilan Gallardo,
Special Correspondent.
THE limited hospital beds and isolation units for its Covid-19 patients has prompted the government to place the entire Iligan City under the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ).
The National Inter-Agency Task Force said the MECQ would remain in effect in Iligan until Sept. 30, now the city in the Philippines that has the strictest lockdown protocols.
As of Aug. 31, the Iligan Emergency Operation Center Health Cluster reported that it had 39 active Covid-19 cases admitted in the city hospitals.
Another 129 Covid-19 patients—116 local transmissions and only 13 returning residents – are admitted in their isolation units.
“Hindi naman po ganoon kataas ang kaso sa Iligan. Ang problema lang po sa Iligan, wala pong hospital doon ‘no, kaya kinakailangan ipadala pa sa Cagayan de Oro," Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said during a press briefing in Malacañang Monday night.
On Aug. 19, Iligan City officials asked Mayor Oscar Moreno if they could rent hotel rooms in Cagayan de Oro for their returning residents and overseas workers.
Moreno agreed to help and the Iligan City immediately started sending their residents and workers including their Covid-19 patients to Cagayan de Oro.
Rocky Calingin, Cagayan de Oro in-charge of billeting of LSIs and ROFs said 88 returning Iligan residents and workers who arrived in Laguindigan airport have been billeted and quarantine for 14 days in Cagayan de Oro’s hotels since Aug. 19.
“Sixty-seven Iligan residents and workers have already finished their 14-day quarantine and have went home,” Calingin said.
Calingin said another 21 residents are still here in Cagayan de Oro awaiting the results of their second RT-PCR tests.
Dr. Bernard Rocha, spokesperson of Northern Mindanao Medical Center said three Covid-19 patients from Iligan have arrived at the NMMC, the main referral hospital for the disease in Northern Mindanao.
Following Malacañang directive to place Iligan under MECQ, Moreno directed his health officials to anticipate an influx of Iligan residents in Cagayan de Oro.
“Under the MECQ, Iligan will close its borders again except only for those authorize to travel,” Moreno said.
Moreno said the city government will continue to accommodate returning Iligan residents and workers during the one-month strict quarantine measures.
