CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Aug. 16 (PIA) – As the fight against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues, the Department of Health (DOH)-10 cited Balingasag, Misamis Oriental and Iligan City as the two areas in the region with increasing local transmission which reached third and fourth generations.
During the recent Talakayan sa PIA media forum dubbed “The COVID-19 Series,” Dr. Belinda “Bunz” Lim revealed that the Emergency Operation Center (EOC) of Iligan City was structuralized last Aug. 11 with the assistance of a team from DOH-10 led by Dr. Ian Christian Gonzales, Infectious Disease Cluster head.
Iligan City has a case doubling time of 21.83 days, prompting DOH-10 Regional Director Adriano Suba-an and Dr. David Mendoza and the EOC manager of the regional office to visit the said city.
“We know that we have many positive cases [of COVID-19] right now. That is why Dr. Andriano Suba-an and Dr. Dave Mendoza visited us since the cases here had surged," Dr. Lim said.
To curb the further spread of COVID-19, Dr. Lim said, they are currently conducting orientation and training for contact tracers.
"As of now, we cannot still cope with the requirements of the DOH as to the ratio of the contact tracers which is 1:800. That is why we are fast-tracking our orientations and training for contact tracers in line with the health protocol. We are also targeting to train the Sangguniang Kabataan, [Job Order workers, uniformed men and women, and purok leaders to be part of the contact tracing team," Dr. Lim added.
Aside from that, the EOC would also ask the private hospitals within the city that if they have a positive case of COVID-19, they too should establish their contact tracers as well.
As the Iligan City combats the virus, they have expanded their temporary treatment facilities by converting the former National Steel Corporation compound into COVID isolation units. They also planned to convert the administrative building to be used as an isolation unit for at least 150 Locally Stranded Individuals (LSIs) and Returning Overseas Filipino (ROFs).
The city will also implement on Aug. 17 the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) and a lockdown, restricting the coming in and out of the city.
"We need to help each other as we fight this pandemic. I do hope that people will understand with regard to our fight against COVID. As a newly appointed EOC [Manager] I need time to stabilize everything. To the media, help us in letting the public understand the situation and be informed. I ask the public to help themselves and the LGU in containing this virus," Dr. Lim concluded. (JAKAraña/PIA10)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
0 Comments