Baguio to help Cebu City in contact tracing system

THE CITY government here will be helping Cebu City in its contact tracing system to curb the further spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

Doctor Donnabel Tubera, head of City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (CESU), said the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) is in contact with Police Regional Office – 7 to iron out the training for the personnel in Cebu City regarding the system.

"Hindi pa namin alam kung may ipapadalang tao doon or webinar ang gagawin. Si BCPO ang direct na nakikipag usap sa pulis doon," she said.

Tubera added Baguio will provide the technical assistance to Cebu City in terms of data collection tools like mapping and data collection.

Earlier, Mayor Benjamin Magalong said Brig. Gen. Albert Ignatius Ferro, PRO-7 chief, has called him recently to ask for help in contact tracing Covid-19 cases in Cebu City.

“I had a call from General Ferro, humihingi ng tulong sa contact tracing nila. So tinutulungan natin ngayon,” Magalong told the city’s Management Committee on Tuesday.

Baguio’s contact tracing center is manned by policemen and Information Technology experts from the BCPO, computer experts of the Management Information Technology Division (MITD).

Baguio’s successful contact tracing system started during the enhanced community quarantine was seen as a key to the fast identification of possible persons who had direct contacts with positive Covid-19 cases.

This allows the immediate identification and isolation of the persons to prevent the spread of the Covid-19.

Once identified, the persons are also immediately tested, which prevents other health complications from the person.

The analysis of the data from the system guides the city government’s decision on what areas to lockdown.