By Jhon Aldrin Casinas Some 15 residents of Barangay Mauway in Mandaluyong City initially tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) after undergoing rapid testing on Monday. Jimmy Isidro, City Public Information Officer and Chief-of-Staff of Mayor Carmelita Abalos, said 15 out of 125 residents who underwent rapid testing have tested positive for the disease. “They are now placed under isolation after undergoing swab testing. They are now just waiting for their confirmatory test results to come out,” Isidro told the Manila Bulletin. The Mandaluyong City government has placed the barangay under a three-day “total lockdown” starting May 11 due to the high number of COVID-19 cases in the area. According to the City Health Office, Barangay Mauway has the highest number of COVID-19 cases in Mandaluyong with 71 confirmed cases, 28 recoveries, and three deaths as of May 11. With the imposition of the lockdown, around 35,000 residents of the barangay were forced to stay home, paving way for the targeted rapid mass testing of select individuals. According to Isidro, the local government targets to test at least 1,000 residents of the barangay, which is virtually located in the middle of the city. Under the guidelines, all establishments, including public markets and grocery stores, were ordered closed during the lockdown period. Unauthorized vehicles are prohibited to go in and out of the barangay. The city government said only essential workers, frontline personnel and other authorized persons are allowed to go outside the barangay while the total lockdown is in effect. Members of the Mandaluyong City Police and the Philippine Army were also deployed to ensure that the public were following the stringent quarantine measures. Local authorities have also warned that those caught violating the lockdown protocols might be arrested, detained or fined.