CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA)–“There is a possibility nga mukalat na pud ang positive cases (the [COVID-19] positive cases will still spread). This is the golden window to prepare. We are reminding everyone that we are still not safe from COVID-19.”
Department of Health Center for Health Development-Northern Mindanao (DOHCHD-NM) Regional Director Dr. Adriano Suba-an says as he cited the department’s forecast on the disease during the NorMin COVID-19 Response Task Force Press Conference, April 21, here. Thus, he highly urged the public to religiously observe the policy on social distancing, hand washing, proper cough etiquette, and staying at home.
To further aid in containing the disease, DOH-10’s logistics assistance cluster has already given personal protective equipment (PPEs), cadaver bags, disinfectants and other materials across all provinces in the region all amounting to P3,916,444 and counting.
PPE sets are prioritized to the hospitals. So far, based on the data, DOH-10 has not recorded any COVID-19 case from health personnel who took care of COVID-19 confirmed patients in the region.
As for the use of rapid test kits, Suba-an said rapid test kits will be used by the doctors to determine and interpret the symptoms of their patients.
“Each of the test kits is unique. We do not recommoned bisag kinsa ra ang mugamit (just anybody to use it),” the regional director added.
On the breakdown of test kit allocation per province or city, Suba-an said the allocation will depend on the number of cases in an area. “It should be equitably distributed,” he said. DOH-10 is prioritizing those areas, which need more kits because there are really areas, which still do not have COVID-19 cases.
Also, the department would further strengthen Executive order No. 51 or the “Philippine Milk Code” especially during public health emergencies like the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. As of April 20, Northern Mindanao still has 11 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 5 recovered patients who tested negative during their second confirmatory tests, 4 have expired, and 2 are confined in the hospital. (Recthie T. Paculba and Vincent Philip Bautista/PIA10)
