THERE are no more patients under investigation (PUI) and people under monitoring (PUM) in Central Visayas, DOH 7 Director Jaime Bernadas said in a press conference Monday, March 9.
In Cebu City, barangay health workers (BHWs) will be trained by the City Health Office (CHO) on how to handle the Covid-19 situation starting this week, City Health Officer Daisy Villa said Monday.
They will be trained on how to wear and dispose of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as protective suit, mask and gloves; how to take nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs; and how to identify and respond to food- and water-borne diseases.
The BHWs will be on the frontline to respond to persons who manifest Covid-19 symptoms, Villa said.
In Mandaue City, an isolation ward or unit for a PUI has been set up within the compound of the Mandaue City Hospital.
It can accommodate one patient at a time, but the hospital staff can put up a divider if there are two patients, John Eddu Ibañez, executive secretary of Mayor Jonas Cortes, said.
Screenings at the domestic and international terminals of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) will be intensified, Bureau of Quarantine 7 Chief Terrence Anthony Bermejo said.
Qatar has temporarily banned the entry of travelers from the Philippines and 13 other countries, starting March 9, 2020.
The ban covers Doha-bound passengers who traveled to these countries in the last 14 days: Philippines, Bangladesh, China, Egypt, India, Iran, Iraq, South Korea, Lebanon, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Syria and Thailand.Starting March 11, travelers coming from Iran and Italy will have to undergo the mandatory 14-day quarantine.
Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia said they have agreed to include Italy and Iran in the coverage of the quarantine since these countries have recorded triple-digit deaths.
She met with heads and representatives of ports authority, police, health, quarantine, education, and immigration offices at the Capitol on Monday to map out more measures in response to the spread of Covid-19 in the Philippines.
Garcia said they have agreed with the Department of Health on plans to distribute ascorbic acid or vitamin C to students, especially elementary pupils, to boost their immune system.
Classes will go on in Cebu Province because “at this point, there is no reported local transmission in Cebu,” the governor said.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has suspended voter’s registration from March 10 to March 31.