By Jean Fernando The Parañaque City Health Office reported that a total of 380 patients have recovered from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) out of the 678 individuals who were infected. Dr. Darius Sebastian, chief of the City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (CESU), disclosed that Parañaque’s recovery rate as of yesterday was at 56 percent, one the highest among local government units in Metro Manila. “More and more COVID-19 patients have recovered from the disease in the city, bringing the total number of 380 those who have survived from the potentially deadly infection,” Sebastian said. The present confirmed cumulative COVID-19 cases in the city is now 678 with 45 fatalities or 6.6 percent, as of Tuesday, he said. However, he said, the active cases are now only 253 or 37.3 percent including the 26 patients with no address or unknown address that was registered during the first week of the pandemic. “The city is now approaching the flattening of the COVID curve. It is now more evident. There is very little additional death,” Sebastian said, adding that the recovery rates of patients in the seven days has been comparatively higher. He said that there are certain patients who have recovered and have no symptoms and these patients have done with their clinical recovery and 14-day quarantine, mostly residents of posh subdivision in Barangay BF Homes. “All recovered patients are not discharged. Recovered cases are those who reported negative from the infection,” Sebastian explained. After the three-day calibrated lockdown in Barangay Baclaran, Sebastian said that their concentration these coming days are the two barangays with the highest COVID-19 cases—namely San Dionisio with 53 active cases and San Antonio with a total 42 active cases. Data showed that there are six fatalities in San Antonio and two in San Dionisio. He said earlier said that he will recommend to Mayor Edwin Olivarez and the city inert-agency task force to place Barangays San Antonio and San Dionisio under strict community lockdown if residents will not comply with health standards and quarantine protocols. Olivarez disclosed that the city government has conducted almost 4,500 000 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests and rapid tests as part of its mass testing efforts. He said the city health office was able to conduct swab and PRC tests to about 900 individuals during the lockdown in Barangay Baclaran in which the results will be known by this weekend. Olivarez also urged residents to continuously follow health and quarantine protocols and other preventive measures such as physical distancing and stringent personal hygiene during this time of modified enhanced community quarantine in Metro Manila.