The Quezon City government has placed a portion of a street within a private subdivision on special concern lockdown after recording six active cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Assistant city administrator for operations Alberto Kimpo said a part of King Christian Street in Kingspoint Subdivision, Barangay Bagbag was put under special concern lockdown after one active case infected three persons in the same household and two more households in the area.
“We have to enforce special concern lockdown so as to avoid the virus from spreading to other streets,” he said.
At least 59 families with a total population of 243 reside in the area.
Dr. Rolly Cruz, head of the city health department’s Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, said the distribution of case investigation forms began Tuesday.
“After that, we will conduct polymerase chain reaction testing on Wednesday until Friday on those who need them based on our assessment,” he said.
To date, four areas in Quezon City remained under special concern lockdown including Kaingin Bukid in Barangay Apolonio Samson, portions of Ermin Garcia Street and Imperial Street in Barangay E. Rodriguez, and the upper half of Calle 29 in Barangay Libis.
Cruz said the special concern lockdown in Kaingin Bukid, under lockdown since June 10, would be extended to give them more time to complete 1,000 tests in the area.
“Starting Monday, the national government will help conduct PCR testing. They plan to test 500 individuals in a week,” he said.
Out of the 573 individuals that underwent rapid diagnostic testing in the concerned portions of Ermin Garcia and Imperial Streets, both under SCL since June 15, only six came back positive.
“The upper part of Calle 29 will remain under SCL as it has 9 active COVID-19 cases. We will schedule re-swab next week,” Cruz said.
The health department lifted the special concern lockdown on Sitio Militar in Barangay Bahay Toro after no new COVID-19 case was recorded after the 14-day lockdown and the additional extension period.
Mayor Joy Belmonte said the decreasing number of areas under SCL underscored the move as an effective way of preventing the spread of the deadly virus.