BOTH the Department of Health (DOH)-Northern Mindanao and the City Health Office (CHO) will finalize plans to conduct prevalence surveys on locally stranded individuals (LSIs), new arrivals and pre-selected barangays to identify and isolate suspected Covid-19 cases.
"The prevalence survey consists of rapid diagnostic testing that will determine whether the LSI, overseas worker or a city resident has antibodies or symptoms relative to Covid-19. If they test positive, they will be quarantined to prevent infection and will undergo confirmatory tests," said Dr. Ian Gonzales, chief of the DOH Infectious Cluster, during Wednesday noon's (June 10) press briefing.
CHO resident epidemiologist Dr. Teodulfo Joselito Retuya said they will proceed with the prevalence survey once the DOH regional office facility secures clearance from the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine (RITM) anytime this month.
Acting City Health Officer Dr. Lorraine Nery said the prevalence survey will help identify who among the returning overseas workers or arrivals will be confined in the city isolation units.
Mayor Oscar Moreno said the expanded, targeted testing will also be conducted on cordoned areas or sites placed under focused quarantine.
"Why are we doing this? Di na ta maghulat (Let's not wait) for another person to be infected. Most of the time, those people who display Covid-19 symptoms refuse to be admitted for fear of discrimination. This is a preemptive, proactive approach so we can isolate immediately (and prevent an outbreak)," Moreno said. (PR)