CONTACT tracing is currently being conducted to locate the people who have close contact with the couple who were earlier confirmed for the highly infectious disease.
Department of Health (DOH) Davao regional director Dr. Annabelle Yumang said on Monday, March 23, in a live virtual presser via Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Davao, contact tracing is now being done to those who have interacted with the couple patients for the past few days.
Earlier, Davao Region currently has three confirmed cases of coronavirus disease (Covid-19). As of Monday night, March 23, DOH-Davao Region confirmed three new additional cases bringing the total Covid-19 case in the region to six.
Dr. Cleofe Tabada, DOH Davao-Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit (RESU) chief, admitted there are underlying challenges that their contact tracing team is facing like uncooperative persons, locating people, and dishonesty of people.
“Diba naa tay napahibalo nga tulo ka positibo nga pasyente ato nga nasugdan ang contact tracing magsugod sa pamilya, higala, and lugar nga naadtoan paghuman ato pod ginapangutana kung kumusta sila (The contact tracing will start with the Covid-19 patient’s family, friends, and places they have been to.),” Tabada said.
She emphasized the importance of contact tracing as it will help them identify people who had close contact with the Covid-19 positive patients manifesting signs and symptoms. Once identified, they will be referred to the appropriate facility or DOH may give them guidelines on self-quarantine.
Tabada thanked the active cooperation of the local government units (LGUs), and law enforcers including the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and intelligence groups.
DOH-Davao welcomes information from the public regarding the possible activities of confirmed patients before they were admitted to the hospital. Their team also verifies the information they receive.
Meanwhile, Tabada said they are trying to identify the link between the Covid-19 positive patients and the announcement of the City Government of Davao on Sunday evening, March 22.
On Sunday, the City Government of Davao called on those who went to the New Matina Davao Galleria from March 6 to March 13 to be on strict 14-day quarantine. Their family, friends, co-workers, and close contacts should also undergo self-isolation.
If they are experiencing colds, cough, fever, diarrhea or sore throat, they are advised to go to Sta. Ana Health Center or Crossing Bayabas Health Center in Toril.
Meanwhile, Tabada said that so far, during their contact tracing, nobody tested positive nor manifested signs and symptoms for the coronavirus disease.
As of Monday, DOH Davao reported a total of 52 patients under investigation confined in two state-run hospitals in Davao Region assigned to handle Covid-19 cases. There are 21 confined at Southern Philippines Medical Center and 31 in Davao Regional Medical Center.