DISINFECTION. Personnel of the City Health Office on Friday (March 20, 2020) disinfect downtown Zamboanga City as the enhanced community quarantine took effect earlier. A similar undertaking has been done in Pagadian City. (PNA photo by Salvador A. Santiago)
ZAMBOANGA CITY – The local governments of Zamboanga City and Pagadian City have disinfected their respective central business districts (CBDs) and other public areas to fight the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
In this city, disinfection was conducted as the enhanced community quarantine took effect 1 a.m. Friday.
Sheila Covarrubias, city information officer, said Friday that the City Health Office has organized six teams to undertake the disinfection works.
Among the areas disinfected was the central business district. On Saturday, the focus will be the old public market and the four barangays downtown.
The streets and main thoroughfares here were virtually empty following the suspension of sea, air, and land travel and the closure of some government offices and private establishments, except for pharmacies, hospitals, and businesses providing essential services.
City Health Officer Dulce Amor Miravite said there is still no confirmed case of Covid-19 in Zamboanga City but they had 16 patients under investigation (PUIs) and 340 persons under monitoring (PUMs) as of Thursday.
Miravite advised the public to stay home if they have nothing important to attend to "as the imposition of the enhanced community quarantine is for the benefit of everyone."
Meanwhile, in Pagadian City, disinfection targeted the public market, bus terminals, and other public places and was conducted by the Bureau of Fire Protection's trucks and farm sprayers.
City Administrator Vince Quipot said they have instructed all stall owners, especially in the public market, to regularly disinfect as customers come and go.
“We asked the businessmen to do their part in sanitizing their own places since it will be of big help,” Quipot said.
The disinfection drew a positive response from market stallholders and vendors.
Gabriel Ardiente, one of the stallholders, was thankful that the local government included the public market in its sanitation undertaking as everyone fears the entry and spread of Covid-19.
“We need to work together to keep the place safe from Covid-19,” Ardiente said. (PNA)
