CORONAVIRUS disease (Covid-19) cases in Baguio City are expected to surge as more tests are up for close to 5,000 grocery store workers.
As of August 18, a total of 259 Covid-19 cases have been logged, with 105 active. On the same day, a lone death was recorded when a 93-year-old female who had prior illnesses, succumbed to the disease, bringing the death toll to eight.
Identified sectors affected in the city are the general public, healthcare workers, bank employees, other employees, grocery store workers, private employees, vendors, government employees, essential services, overseas Filipino workers and police officers.
At the former Sto. Niño Hospital, the city is expanding bed capacity to 300 in a bid to cope with an expected surge in cases as testing for packers, cashiers and promo personnel of groceries and supermarkets is underway.
City Health Officer Dr. Rowena Galpo said the Baguio Teachers Camp is being prepared to accommodate 129 patients.
Work at the Baguio Convention Center (BCC) to become the city's central triage facility, capable of housing persons serving 14 days of quarantine, is also being undertaken with a P12 million funding from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). The fund is expected to be ready mid-September.
Another facility with 25-bed capacity in Tuba, Benguet will serve as a standby isolation facility.
The Public Information Office reported that 90 percent of the Covid-19 cases in Baguio are asymptomatic and with mild symptoms, while 10 percent have moderate to severe symptoms.
Of the total 253 cases as of August 17, 165 have no symptoms while 62 had mild onset of fever, cough or sore throat. (With reports from Baguio City Public Information Office)