Cebu City to close last 2 Barangay Isolation Centers

Cebu City government would be closing the two remaining Barangay Isolation Centers (BICs) in the city once their asymptomatic COVID-19 patients completed their 14-day quarantine.

The facilities were located in the north and south districts of Cebu City.

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As of November 8, there are still 13 COVID-19 patients staying in the Barangay Isolation Centers.

According to the deputy chief implementer of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and City Councilor Joel Garganera, all asymptomatic COVID-19 patients will now be accommodated at the New Normal Oasis Adaptation and a Home (Noah) Complex located at the South Road Properties.

“After our meeting with Atty. Jocelyn Pesquera and Councilor Donaldo Hontiveros last Thursday, we reached an agreement that all positive asymptomatic patients will be confined at NOAH.  As of now, there are only 13 patients at [the] BICs,” Garganera said in a message sent to the Cebu media.

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“We will close down BICs after the remaining 13 patients will comply with their 14 days quarantine,” he added.

Authorities agreed to house all asymptomatic COVID-19 patients at the Noah complex after Garganera met with Noah manager Jocelyn Pesquera and City Councilor Donaldo Hontiveros.

Cebu City to close last 2 Barangay Isolation Centers

The Cebu City converted 52 public elementary schools into BICs with a bed capacity of almost 3,000 since the pandemic hit the city.

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When the number of COVID-19 cases started to decrease in August, Cebu City returned some of the schools to the Department of Education.

The local government further reduced BICs to four (two in the north district and two in the south district).

Last month, the number of BICs was decreased to two.

According to the Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH-7), as of November 8, Cebu City has 168 active COVID-19 cases.

The city has already reported a total of 9,455 recoveries from its 10,303 confirmed cases, while its death count is now at 680.

Cebu City was placed under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) in September.

Meanwhile, the case doubling time is 16.61 days, which is also much slower than the national average, 13.29 days. The mortality doubling times at 24.12 days, which is slower than the national average, which is 18.82 days.