Close contacts urged to cooperate for swab testing

THE Bacolod City Emergency Operations Center (EOC) urged all close contacts of Covid-19 patients to cooperate for swab testing.

City Administrator Em Ang, executive director of the EOC, on Thursday, June 3, 2021, said based on the report of the contact tracing team headed by Dr. Rosalie Deocampo on Tuesday, it showed that more than 100 persons in the city refused to be tested.

“This is one of our problems right now because people refused to be tested. They are afraid because once they are tested positive of the virus they will be transferred to the isolation facility, but without realizing that their refusal contributes to the problem and contributes to the continuing increase of Covid cases in Bacolod City,” she said.

Ang noted that seeking late medical consultation leads to increased chances of hospitalization or worse, death.

“We are appealing to all close contacts and other persons who are symptomatic to cooperate with the EOC and the City Health Office (CHO) with our health professionals, please cooperate and submit yourselves for testing. For all you know, you are saving your own life or your family members’ life,” Ang said.

She said to seek early medical consultation from the onset of illness for immediate diagnosis and intervention and not wait until it is too late.

She added that the number of new Covid-19 cases is still very high.

As of June 2, Bacolod City had a total of 9,767 Covid-19 cases. Of the number, 8,237 patients already recovered, 1,270 were active cases and 258 were deaths.

Deocampo, in a statement, also said that data on Covid-19 cases show that seeking consultation after four days or more since the onset of illness increases the risk of being hospitalized, being placed on a mechanical ventilator, or dying.

She said sustained exposure to other household members infects them subsequently.

"Please do not go to work anymore if you are experiencing any discomfort or symptom. Call in sick to work and go to the Bacolod Respiratory Outpatient Center or any clinic of your choice for check-up and Covid-19 RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) test for early detection, isolation, and treatment. Strictly observe minimum health protocols to prevent further spread of the infection," she added.

Close contacts of positive patients like their household members or co-workers will be traced, swabbed, and isolated.

The Bacolod Respiratory Outpatient Center located at the Bacolod Arts, Youth and Sports Center (BaysCenter) in front of the Bacolod Public Plaza has continued to offer free medical consultation and Covid-19 swabbing for those who have symptoms.

Based on the EOC Contact Tracing report on May 31, a total of 41 individuals turned out positive for the Covid-19 virus due to household transmission.

It also showed that 47 percent of 663 individuals who sought consultation and were swabbed within 14 days, or from May 18 to May 31, have tested positive for the virus.

The EOC has been doubling its containment and mitigating efforts, including contact tracing, swabbing, isolating, healthcare capacity management, and information education campaign.