CEBU CITY, Philippines—Police Colonel Hector Grijaldo, the director of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), revealed that 25 people are quarantined inside a leisure compound in Barangay Talamban, here.

This after they were exposed to at least one suspected case of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) in the area.

Grijaldo said the area is considered a hot zone, which means no person except medical and security personnel are allowed in the area.

He said that on March 24, 2020, the CCPO received an order from the Department of Health (DOH) to secure the area to prevent random entry of people, and prevent exit from those quarantined in the area.

The police are on 24-hour duty in the area and disinfection continues inside the place.

Grijaldo explained there are three types of zones: the hot zone, where only medical professional can enter; the warm zone, where anyone who wishes to enter needs to wear personal protective equipment (PPE); and the cool zone, which is typically a safe area.

The said compound is considered now a hot zone and is being secured heavily by the police until orders from the DOH has been lifted.

“We need to decontaminate, remove the people in the compound, clean the compartments. Hinloan ang mga puy-anan ug idecontaminate ang mga nagpuyo didto. (Clean the compartments and decontaminate everyone living there),” said Grijaldo.

Grijaldo explained the quarantined persons will be placed in temporary compartments while the other compartments will be decontaminated.

The compound will undergo thorough disinfection while the suspected cases will remain them.

Grijaldo urged the public to avoid the area as much as possible and follow the protocols of isolation. /bmjo