'POSITIVE' KIDS. Mayor Junard Chan is seen in this videograb giving instructions to children in conflict with the law (CICL) housed in the Home Care Center in Barangay Gun-ob, Lapu-Lapu City on Monday (Aug. 9, 2021). City Social Welfare and Development Office head Annabeth Cuizon said 30 of the 31 children in the facility tested positive for Covid-19 but are mostly asymptomatic. (Screenshot from Lapu-Lapu City PIO video)
CEBU CITY – The 30 children in conflict with the law (CICL) at a facility in Lapu-Lapu who tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) are receiving proper care, the city mayor said on Tuesday.
Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard Chan said in a radio interview the children were given vitamins to boost their immune system and speed up their recovery from Covid-19.
He assured the parents that the city is on top of the situation, expressing confidence the children will soon recover from the virus.
“We sent a doctor to give them instruction on what to do if they have any ailments while they are inside the facility,” Chan said.
He thanked Lapu-Lapu City Social Welfare and Development Office head, Annabeth Cuizon; Disaster Risk and Reduction Management Office chief, Nagiel Banacia; City Health Office chief, Dr. Rializa Agnes; and City Hospital Administrator, Dr. Ronald Oporto; for immediately responding upon learning of the children's positive reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test results.
Cuizon told the Philippine News Agency that majority of the children who are interned at the Home Care Center are asymptomatic but a few manifested mild symptoms.
“Those who have cough are being isolated from those who are asymptomatic,” she said.
Cuizon said city health office personnel are closely monitoring the health condition of the children.
The facility was placed under lockdown starting on Aug. 8 after 30 CICL and one staff tested positive for Covid-19.
The Home Care Center, a shelter for CICLs and victims of abuse, is located in Barangay Gun-ob, Lapu-Lapu City. It is currently housing 31 CICL with ages ranging from six to 17 years old, and two staff.
Health authorities discovered the transmission when a young resident was swabbed after his release from the facility as a requirement for his travel to Iloilo with his family.
His test turned out positive, thus, the rest of the shelter's residents were swab-tested.
Upon learning of the situation, Lapu-Lapu City Lone District Rep. Paz Radaza went to the facility and left packs of biscuits, instant noodles, instant champorado, bottled water, loaves of bread, sandwich spread, and roasted chicken. (PNA)
