LGUs, DOH prepare measures in receiving more ROFs, LSIs

DAVAO CITY, June 30 (PIA) – The Department of Health XI bared in the One Davao Virtual Presser held Monday that the Regional Task Force XI against COVID 19 has already discussed and prepared measures as Davao Region expects to receive more returning oversees Filipino (ROFs), and locally stranded individuals (LSIs).

“Out of the 21 new cases reported last June 28, 12 of which are repatriates and LSIs. Most of these cases were from the provinces because our LGUs have already set protocols to ensure that there will be no community transmission.”, said DOH XI Assistant Regional Director Dr. Lenny Joy Rivera.

Rivera bared that in the meeting last week, the RTF led by Mayor Sara Duterte has discussed and looked for measures to implement as the government is bent to do its best thru strategies as the region will have to continue receiving ROFs and LSIs and as Davao City is poised to add more commercial flights entering the city.

The DOH XI also steps up measures as it observed an increase of confirmed COVID19 cases who are asymptomatic.

“ We started to observe this increase since May 27, 2020 just before ECQ was lifted and we were then under GCQ”, Rivera said.

Of the 21 new cases recorded last June 28, 2020, 14 of which are asymptomatic or those who did not show any signs or symptoms when tested. Of the 21, only six exhibited symptoms.

Despite the erratic trend of confirmed COVID cases in Davao Region, the DOH XI assured the public that the region is still on a “safe zone” in terms of the bed tracker situationer which showed that the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), and the Davao Region Medical Center (DRMC) when combined only have 28% critical case utilization.

“This means we have few critical cases of COVID19 as of June 28. The LGUs also ensured that we have enough COVID facilities to accommodate the mild and asymptomatic cases. This is the reason our COVID hospitals which are the SPMC and DRMC are not yet in its maximum utilization on bed capacity”, Rivera said.

DOH XI reported in its June 29 COVID 19 Situationer 529 total number of cases since the start of the pandemic, 138 of which are active cases, 108 are asymptomatic, 23 are mild cases, 5 are severe, while only 2 are critical.

There were 59 persons tested yesterday (June 29), only 3 tested positive which translates to only 5% daily positivity rate. (PIA XI/Frances Mae Macapagat)