Barangay captains urged to educate public on ILI

The Cebu City heath officer is appealing to the barangay captains especially those in the frontline cluster to help educate the public on the misconception that patients with influenzalike illness (ILI) are positive for coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Dr. Daisy Villa said that people brought for consultation at the identified cluster clinics because of influenza-like illness are not COVID-19 patients.

“Gusto ko manawagan sa mga barangay captains, especially sa frontline cluster kung aha nato gibutang, hinaot unta ato mapasabot ang mga tawo nga wala ta nagdala og mga positive cases diha but ang atoa kay nang consulta ta mao ng gitawag na influenza-like illness,” said Villa.

Villa explained that barangay level consultation is important to contain the virus.

She said that those with symptoms of flu will be assessed in the barangay clinics to determine if there is a need for the patient to be tested for COVID-19. If further test is recommended, the patient will be transported to the designated hospital for testing.

“Kana sila naa ra na sila gipangbati, simtomas na gipangbati na ato pang konsultahon kay kung mahibaw-an nato na need na siya i-testing so ato gyud na ipadala sa hospital para sa testing, so lahi ang positive na confirmed case, lahi pud na ang positive sa simtomas na gipang bati like influenzalike illness,” said Villa.

Dr. Junjie Zuasula, regional epidemiologist, explained the so-called influenza-like illness surveillance. Zuasula said it is basically a community surveillance that will detect early clustering of cases down to the barangay levels of influenza-like illness. COVID-19 is among these influenza-like illnesses.

He said they have a smartphone application that can submit influenzalike illness data of a particular patient or person to their server. He said the presence of the fever clinics or cluster clinics is very essential because it is the facility that can detect the influenza-like illness from individuals coming for consultation.

“We have to monitor, each one of us through the ILI surveillance system in the community to control the outbreak,” said Zuasula.

The Cebu City government is setting up 20 sanitation/disinfection tents as part of its efforts to prevent further spread of COVID-19.

These tents will be placed in City Hall, Cebu City Medical Center, City Health Office, and terminals.