The health department in Western Visayas has heightened its surveillance following the confirmation of the first case of local transmission of the deadly disease the country.
Dr. Jane Juanico of the Department of Health (DOH-6) said they are now closely coordinating with Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams (BHERTs).
The formation of BHERTs was ordered by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to help contain the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
One of BHERTs’ responsibilities is to monitor the record of returning residents and visitors with travel history from countries affected by COVID-19.
The DOH-6 also intensified its information and education campaign on the dreaded disease, which originated in Wuhan, China.
As of March 7, the DOH-6 recorded 41 patients under investigation (PUIs) for COVID-19 in the region.
But all of them tested negative for the new coronavirus, according to Juanico.
“The region remains free of COVID-19,” she stressed.
In a report by the Philippine News Agency, President Rodrigo Duterte “agreed to issue a declaration of a State of Public Health Emergency.”
The declaration was recommended by the DOH after it recorded new cases of COVID-19.
At present, there are six confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country.
Last Saturday, March 7, the DOH raised the country’s COVID-19 alert system to Code Red, Sub-level 1.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque said Code Red, Sub-Level 1 is a “preemptive call to ensure national and local government and public and private healthcare providers can prepare for possible increase in suspected and confirmed cases.”
The fifth case of the disease in the country was considered by the World Health Organization (WHO) as local transmission.IMT
