Davao City – Twelve of the 2,300 swabbed public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers were tested positive for COVID-19 as of May 2 in the ongoing free surveillance RT-PCR testing as mandated by Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte’s Executive Order (E.O.) 22.
Davao City Health Office (CHO) Head Dr. Ashley Lopez, also the city’s COVID-19 focal person, said data gathered were from April 26, which is the effectivity date of implementation of E.O. 22. The 12 COVID-19 positive cases are taxi, bus, and van drivers.
“Ang nag-positive (among the PUV and delivery service riders), that’s less than one percent positivity rate. Ang nag-positive, na-isolate na nato. We’ve also done contact tracing through DQR. Sa Sta. Ana run, pirting taasa sa pila,” Lopez said during the COVID-19 Alert program via the Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) program.
He said the queue at Sta. Ana included children.
The COVID-19 positive cases among the city’s PUV and delivery service drivers, according to him, indicated part of the “outside transmission” aside from the community household transmission.
The city’s COVID-19 focal person also said, “Ang isa ka factor ang hatag takod. Since workers are relying on public transport, this is not plainly coming from the drivers na carrier. Kini apil gihapon mga pasahero na musakay. Kabalo ka sa characteristics sa atong virus cases, more than 90 percent asymptomatic. Wala ka kabalo, carrier diay ka. Those are possible transmission sa atong PUV.”
Over 20,000 PUV drivers have registered for the free RT-PCR testing, he said. They initially target a daily quota of 500 for the PUV drivers’ swab testing
Since the April 26 launch, which recorded 238 swabbed PUV and delivery service drivers, the number of registrants reached 300 to 400 in the following days and even surpassed the daily target.
Lopez called on PUV and delivery service drivers to avail the free RT-PCR testing this week at Crocodile Park from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Drivers who will undergo the free surveillance RT-PCR testing are also required to bring a ballpen and driver’s license or any government-issued ID to the testing location.
Mayor Duterte, in her E.O. 22, Series of 2021, known as “An Order Providing for Heightened Surveillance and Response of Covid-19 Cases in Public Ground Transport and Delivery Services in Davao City”, said that public ground transport and delivery services pose a significant risk to COVID-19 transmission.
Drivers who were already swabbed also availed of free tuberculosis (TB) testing and received grocery packs, face masks, and face shields with vitamins and snacks.
(City Information Office | Michael Manguhig, RPN DXKT Davao OIC)
