COVID-19 patients under home isolation in Davao City are now at 1,593, as Covid-19 treatment facilities in the city are being overwhelmed with the surge of cases, Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said on Monday, September 27.
The move came just a week after the first batch of 365 Covid-19 patients were allowed for home isolation last September 20.
Duterte-Carpio said the decision to allow a new batch to isolate at home was made by the health group of the Davao City Covid-19 Task Force's response cluster as of September 26.
She clarified that not everyone is qualified to undergo home isolation.
Those asymptomatic and with mild cases are qualified, while moderate, severe, and critical cases will still have to be transferred to medical facilities to prevent complications.
Duterte-Carpio also said households with Covid-19 patients allowed to home isolate will automatically be placed on lockdown.
As of September 27, a total of 704 houses are on lockdown. Twelve buildings, four compounds, and one school are also on lockdown.
The local government started placing households on lockdown this month after they were found to be the source of community transmissions.
Covid-19 Task Force Spokesperson Dr. Michelle Schlosser said in a recent interview that home isolation, despite currently being allowed by the City Government, still poses a risk to members of the family, especially those who do not have enough space or are not conducive for isolation.
Schlosser said patients recommended for home isolation will depend on the assessment of the contact tracing cluster. Patients would undergo verification on the ground, and check if the patient has his or her own room with a comfort room inside.
"Dili pasabot na gusto ninyo mag-home isolation, matagaan na dayon mo'g home isolation. We have to make sure na properly monitored and evaluated ang atoang mga Covid-positive patients and we have to make sure nga katong gusto mag-isolation, fitted gyud ilang balay para sa home isolation (That doesn’t mean that if you want to be in home isolation, you will be immediately placed under home isolation. We have to make sure that our Covid-positive patients are properly monitored and evaluated and we have to make sure that those who would undergo isolation that their home is fit for home isolation)," she said, adding some patients might even hide their real condition.
She added that home isolation is crucial, especially when patients who are asymptomatic might eventually manifest symptoms.