Marikina gov’t to only allow residents into public market

The local government of Marikina will temporarily deny entry to residents of neighboring cities who wish to buy goods from the Marikina Public Market.

According to a Monday 24 Oras report by Maki Pulido, the market was under heightened security after a 72-year-old vendor died on Sunday due to breathing difficulties.

However, he was never tested for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Mayor Marcelino Teodoro said he had asked the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine to test the victim’s relatives for COVID-19, but his request was denied.

“Ang tine-test nila ngayon as per their policy ay ‘yung mga may symptoms lamang. I think this is erroneous… paano natin magagawa effectively ‘yung contact tracing, ‘yung containment?” he asked.

Only residents and essential workers will be allowed to enter Marikina as local authorities conduct contact tracing.

The market is also being disinfected repeatedly.

Parts of the market will be closed for days at a time to give way to disinfection.

Marikina has recorded 89 COVID-19 cases with 18 deaths and 13 recoveries as of Monday afternoon. — Julia Mari Ornedo/DVM, GMA News