Davao City – A government doctor has recommended for all inbound passengers from the National Capital Region and Cebu to undergo mandatory quarantine of passengers for 14 days whether they have negative or positive COVID-19 results.
Dr. Ashley Lopez, Acting City Health Officer revealed that mandatory quarantine must be done in temporary treatment and monitoring facility and a way to address the possible surge in Davao City.
He said the resumption to require RT-PCR swab test for inbound passengers benefits the Davao City.
Lopez said on a 14-day moving average, Davao City continues to experience a downtrend of cases going down to 300 cases way back November, 2020.
He expressed concern on the 335 active cases that the city currently has since they have contacts which possibly were afflicted with the disease.
Close contacts are urged to volunteer themselves for testing at the Sta. Ana Health Center.
The local government health official said Davao City must be careful due to the surge in the National Capital Region and Cebu.
Lopez said it is not far that a mega surge might also happen in Davao City with the resumption the airline industry.
Mass gatherings must be avoided. As contingency measure, Lopez suggested to add more COVID bed allocations and more temporary treatment and monitoring facilities.
Lopez said expanded mandatory testing of closed contacts in all levels is now in effect in every possible way that it may influence others.
“The more testing, the more accurate we can contend with the situation,” he stressed.
The Davao City Health Office acting chief said missed cases must be addressed in the households.
“We have to hunt the COVID-19 suspects to prevent the entry of new variants. We need to zero in in order to save the people of Davao City,” Lopez said.
(Joey Sem G. Dalumpines, PIA XI | Michael Manguhig, RPN DXKT Davao OIC)