THE Davao Covid-19 Emergency Center temporarily suspended its operations after one of its employees had direct contact with a positive patient of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said in a radio interview Saturday, March 28.
Duterte-Carpio said the employee, who she did not name, manifested symptoms 12 days after he or she had a close contact with the positive patient.
The mayor said she had a meeting with the employee on March 14. However, during at that time, she said the employee was asymptomatic.
It was during that time that the mayor made a public appearance after her voluntary self-quarantine was discontinued by the City Health Office (CHO), which started March 12 after having a lunch meeting with Senator Sherwin Gatchalian in Manila. Gatchalian went into self-quarantine after being exposed to a Covid-positive employee in the Senate.
The city mayor then immediately resumed her self-quarantine on March 17 after Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri tested positive for Covid-19 on March 16, whom she had close contact with.
Meanwhile, Duterte-Carpio said the employee had a “face-to-face” meeting with the positive patient on March 10, who is currently admitted at the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC).
She said the employee, who is a “possible person under investigation patient”, had exposure to employees of the operation center, who were mandated to self-quarantine.
“So, ang gibuhat nato, gi-down nato ang (We shutted down the) operation center for 24 hours because we need to set up a new center in another venue, and magbuhat ta og another staffing (and we need to scout new staff),” Duterte-Carpio said via 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.
In a press statement issued by the City Information Office on Friday, March 27, the Davao City Central 911 temporarily catered calls related Covid-19.
The operation center was re-activated on 3pm of March 28.
The 24/7 hotline center is responsible in receiving calls and text messages on possible Covid-19 patients who are experiencing dry cough, running nose, flu, shortness of breath, and diarrhea.
The incident also resulted to the city government to order all government offices to move to a work at home and on-call operations beginning Tuesday, March 31, the mayor said.
Based on the order, “all employees are ordered to work from home and render services on-call basis. All documents and other materials needed for work to continue shall be transported between residences.”
Duterte-Carpio said the arrangement was reached because of possible cases of PUIs among employees of the City Hall.
She added there is an urgent need to protect everyone who reports to their respective offices to avoid a breakdown of government service by exposure of the majority of the employees. She also said this method is followed to ensure that there is no disruption of public service.
“We cannot be isolating people everytime nga naa’y mag-positive. Ang mahitabo ana, mahurot tang tanan (We cannot be isolating people everytime someone is tested positive. This would result to shortage in manpower in the city government),” Duterte-Carpio said.
Meanwhile, she said the City Hall will continue to receive documents at the Davao City Recreation Center (Almendras Gym).
She also said departments and offices whose functions involve the delivery of basic social services, health, sanitation, public safety and security, preparedness and response to disaster and calamities, and/or performance to other vital services must still be in full operation and following a strict implementation of frequent and proper disinfection, physical distancing, and wearing of masks. (RGL)