MAASIN City Mayor Nacional Mercado has intensified the precautionary measures and information drive in the city to protect the public against the deadly coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
In a joint meeting of the City’s Inter-Agency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases on March 10, Mercado assured the residents of the “continued effort and commitment” of the local officials to contain the said disease while discussing the Proclamation No. 922 issued by President Rodrigo Duterte.
Mercado initially bought ten sets of thermal scanners for the regular checking of the city employees’ body temperature to ensure their health status while serving the public.
The city health office has partnered with Department of Health (DOH) in the province in strengthening its surveillance and monitoring system while the City Council is also drafting an ordinance that will support the implementation of Covid-19 measures in Maasin.
The Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams (BHERTs) will also be trained on protocols in handling Covid-19 cases, according to the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in the city.
Meanwhile, Mercado appealed to the public to remain calm, vigilant and refrain from sharing false information on Covid-19 particularly in the social media.
“May I request for everyone to help each other and to refrain from spreading infovirus or fake news. If we are not sure about the exact details please inquire first before posting,” said Mercado, adding that the city remains Covid-19-free to date.
He also called on the public to maintain proper hygiene and refrain from unnecessary travels and attend large gatherings.
As of Wednesday, March 11, the whole of Eastern Visayas continues to be free from Covid-19.
However, confirmed Covid-19 cases in the Philippines continued to climb on Tuesday, March 24, with 90 newly reported infections, bringing the total to 552. (SunStar Philippines)