Covid infections breach 200K, DOH harps on need for isolation

JUST when an official of the Department of Health (DOH) called on the public to isolate even at the slightest suspicion or symptoms of Covid-19 to protect themselves and their loved ones, the number of infections in the country breached the 200,000 mark on Wednesday. In a media forum, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that isolation is a critical step in mitigating the transmission of Covid-19. On Wednesday, the DOH reported that the number of confirmed cases rose to 202,361 after a total of 5,277 confirmed cases were logged based on the total tests done by 95 out of 109 current operational laboratories. Of the 5,277 reported cases, 4,350 (82 percent) occurred within the recent 14 days (August 13 to 26, 2020). The top regions with cases in the recent two weeks were National Capital Region (NCR) with 2,616 or 60 percent, Region 4A (868 or 20 percent) and Region 6 (220 or 5 percent). There were 1,131 recoveries. This brings the total number of recoveries to 133,460. Ninety-nine deaths were reported. The death toll stood at 3,137. Of the 99 newly logged deaths, 77 occurred in August (78 percent) 18 in July (18 percent), 3 in June (3 percent) and 1 in May (1 percent). Deaths were from NCR (61 or 62 percent), Region 4A (14 or 14 percent), Region 3 (12 or 12 percent), Region 7 (6 or 6 percent), Region 6 (2 or 2 percent), Region 2 (1 or 1 percent), Region 10 (1 or 1 percent), and Cordillera Administrative Region (1 or 1 percent).

Isolate

MEANWHILE, Vergeire appealed that whether a person is tested or not, “please isolate.” “If you have been in contact with someone who has symptoms or has tested positive, please isolate immediately. If you are unsure if you have been exposed to a person with the virus, again please isolate,” Vergeire stressed. She said this message further reinforces the campaign of the Coordinated Operations to Defeat Epidemic (CODE), which shifts government efforts to a more granular and setting-specific implementation of the National Action Plan of Preventdetect-isolate-treat-reintegrate. CODE’S primary objective is to cut disease transmission in identified barangays and communities. According to Vergeire, CODE has assisted 17 barangays in the National Capital Region and two in Central Luzon. The DOH is now preparing to assist 30 more barangays in Calabarzon. “The fight against Covid-19 is not in the hospital , isolation facilities or testing centers. This begins in our community, barangay and home. With our communities taking a more proactive role in mitigating disease transmission, we are now starting to see members of our local communities heeding the call to serve and lead the fight against Covid at the barangay level,” Vergeire stressed. Crucial to this granular approach are the Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams (BHERTS) tasked to lead their communities in becoming more proactive about containing Covid-19. BHERTS are composed of members of the local community, particularly the barangay executive officer, barangay tanod, barangay health workers and community volunteers. They are trained to provide the community with health promotion and education, and ensure the implementation of minimum public health standards. Included among BHERTS’ responsibilities are supporting contact tracing at the household level; daily monitoring of the close contacts under home quarantine; and providing the first-line response to patients in the community. They will also coordinate the referral of patients for quarantine and isolation. Vergeire also stressed that the BHERTS will always be there to help the people in facing a crisis situation. “We want our fellow Filipinos to know that our BHERTS are our first-line responders in our respective communities. Let us take part in our community response. Let us be proactive and make the effort to know who exactly our BHERTS are so that we know who to listen to, and who to get help from if needed,” she said. In conclusion, she reminded, “Always be aware of your own condition. And should the need arise because of Covid-19 concerns, isolate.”