TOLEDO City Mayor Marjorie Perales and her husband, Councilor Amiboy Perales, have tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
“Despite being extra careful and with religious observance of health protocols, we got infected,” Perales posted on her social media account.
The mayor said she and her husband received their test results on Friday, May 21, 2021.
Perales said she already wasn’t feeling well on Monday, May 17. After lunch that day, she experienced flu-like symptoms and she immediately went home. Later that night, she had a high fever.
The next day, she had a swab test.
She said the mayor’s office is temporarily closed on Monday, May 24, until Wednesday, May 26, for general cleaning and for disinfection.
“As of this writing, our condition is stable and we are currently coping with the signs and symptoms of Covid,” the mayor said.
Perales called on everyone she and her husband came in contact with before they isolated themselves to get tested to be sure.
“With this unfortunate turn of events, let me remind everyone to continue being vigilant and observe necessary health protocols,” she said.
Perales is the 13th mayor in Cebu Province to get infected with Covid-19.
The others are Jonas Cortes of Mandaue City, Gerald Anthony Gullas Jr. of Talisay City, Sun Shimura of Daanbantayan, Junard Chan of Lapu-Lapu City, Danilo Diamante of Tuburan, Antonio Pintor of Asturias, Lakambini Reluya of San Fernando, Michael Angelo Sestoso of Alcoy, Dean Michael Singco of Ginatilan, Jose Tumulak of Oslob, Jeffrey Belciña of Dalaguete and the late Marlon Garcia of Barili.
In Cebu City, the Emergency Operations Center has noticed an increase in active Covid-19 cases.
Its latest data dated Sunday, May 23, showed that the city has 380 active cases, up from 263 cases on May 18.
“In the past three to four days, the EOC has seen that our active cases have been increasing,” said City Councilor Joel Garganera, EOC deputy chief implementer.
Based on the findings of the contact tracing team, residents “are relaxed” and have failed to practice the minimum health protocols, Garganera said.
He said 73 percent of those who recently tested positive didn’t wear a mask around other people.
He urged the public not to let their guard down and to sacrifice a bit longer.
Since the City’s vaccination program is ongoing, people will have to wait until herd immunity is achieved, he said.
Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in March last year, Cebu City, which has a population of almost one million, has logged 24,068 cases of which 22,824 have recovered, while 864 have died. A total of 8.87 percent of the 271,199 individuals tested in the city came out positive. (ANV / JJL)