TACLOBAN CITY- The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in Eastern Visayas has breached the 300 mark as the Department of Health (DOH-8) reported 69 new confirmed cases of the disease.
This means, the total COVID-19 cases of the region are 334 as of June 17.
In a statement, the DOH-8 said that a total of 410 results were released by Eastern Visayas Regional Covid-19 Testing Center (EVRCTC) on that day of which 341 were negative and 69 were positive. They will be tagged as Patients EV-265 to EV-333.
The 69 positive results are distributed to the following municipalities:
For Leyte: 6 from San Miguel; 4 from Burauen; 3 from Alangalang; 2 from Matag-ob; and one each for Baybay City, Hindang and Matalom.
For Samar: 20 from Basey; 3 from Calbayog; and one each from Gandara and Sta. Rita.
For Southern, Leyte: 12 from Libagon; 8 from Tomas Oppus; 3 from Bontoc and one each from Padre Burgos, Hinunangan and Maasin, City.
On Thursday morning, nine additional positive cases were recorded by the EVRCTC.
The four results were from La Paz, Leyte which turned positive for COVID-19. They were tagged as Patients EV-334 to EV-337.
While, the DWHVL has released a total of 128 laboratory results with 123 negative and 5 positive for COVID-19. They were tagged as Patients EV-338 to EV-342 and from the following municipalities of Leyte:
Palo- 1; Tabango- 1; Capoocan- 1 and San Miguel, 2. same date
The EVRCTC has released a total of 265 laboratory results, with 263 negative and two (2) positive for COVID-19. They were tagged as patients EV-343 and EV-344.
Patient EV-343 is a 26-year-old, male, health worker, from Tacloban City.
Patient EV-344 is a 27-year-old, male, a Locally Stranded Individual (LSI) from Manila and a resident of Biliran, Biliran.
In an earlier statement Dr. Minerva Molon regional director DOH-8 said that the health department are taking steps to end this crisis in the region.
She added that local officials can do mitigation approaches like community restrictions and isolate people with symptoms, especially those who have a history of travel or exposure to Covid-19 cases,” Molon said.
To date, cases investigation is ongoing and more details will be provided by the concerned local government units, Molon said. (LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
COVID-19 cases in EV keeps on surging; now at 300
54 EV cops deployed to ECQ-Cebu
PALO, Leyte –About 54 police officers from the region were sent to Police Regional Office 7, Camp Sergio Osmeña, Cebu City, to augment its forces as the province was placed under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ).
This was disclosed by Police Brigadier General Bernabe Balba, police regional director, who said that the 54 Police Mobile Force personnel are to be augmented as a reinforcement to the manpower of police force in PRO7.
“As we battle with this pandemic, I am one with the burden being faced by the Police Regional Office 7 where frontliners, especially a large number of the police force are now are now busy performing their mandated duties. As we heal as one, we responded to the request of the National Headquarters to send an augmentation to PRO 7,” Balba said.
Fifty-two Police Non-Commissioned Officers and two Police Commissioned Officers from the regional police headquarters will be augmented as additional team together with the police force of Police Regional Office 6 (PRO 6) as directed by PNP Chief, Police General Archie F. Gamboa.
The PRO 8 team will be led by Police Major Vicente Bullecer Jr.
The police officers were underwent rapid test and other health check requisites by the Regional Health Service 8 (RHS 8).
They were also given face shields, washable and surgical face masks, gloves, alcohol and multivitamins.
The team proceeded to Ormoc City where they departed on June 18 for Cebu City.
“My only prayer is that our troop will come back here safe and sound,” Balba added.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
Gov. Petilla encourages Leyteños with flu-like symptoms to seek COVID-19 test
By: Restituto Cayubit
PALO, Leyte – Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla is encouraging Leyteños with flu-like symptoms to seek COVID-19 test.
Petilla said that those with flu-like symptoms should not be afraid and present themselves to the health units or facilities in their respective areas and seek help for the COVID-19 examinations to determine whether they are positive or negative of the deadly virus.
Governor Petilla explained that his office is pushing for COVID-19 examinations to test all residents in the province classified as suspected carriers of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) virus.
He disclosed that his office is currently performing the rapid test and has already conducted the examinations (rapid tests) to around 1,500 individuals in the different towns in the province.
Petilla said that the local government officials are advised to subject anyone in their localities for a rapid testing who exhibits flu-like symptoms, regardless of age and travel history.
He added that the local officials should immediately inform their rural health units or city health office and request for rapid test or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test.
Petilla told reporters that those individuals with flu-like may also seek help with the local health authorities for coordination with the provincial and district hospitals for the examinations.
He said that his province has 11 hospitals with the capacity to test suspected virus carriers.
These are the Leyte Provincial Hospital in Palo town, Abuyog District Hospital in Abuyog, Carigara District Hospital in Carigara, Ormoc District Hospital in Ormoc City, Western Leyte Hospital in Baybay City, Northwestern Leyte District Hospital in Calubian, Burauen District Hospital in Burauen, Hilongos District Hospital in Hilongos, Tabango District Hospital in Tabango and Municipal Health Office in Sta. Fe, Leyte, and Dr. Manuel B. Veloso Memorial Hospital in Palompon.
Leyte which was COVID-19 free in the middle of May has become the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the region.
As of June 18, the province has 159 COVID-19 confirmed cases.
Other five provinces in Eastern Visayas with confirmed COVID-19 cases are: Samar– 75; Southern Leyte – 33; Northern Samar – 7; Biliran – 4; Eastern Samar – 1.
On the other hand, Ormoc City has 42 confirmed COVID-19 cases while Tacloban City has 21.
Tacloban city government identifies hotel for 18 health workers infected with COVID-19
(TACLOBAN CITY INFORMATON OFFICE)
TACLOBAN CITY- In response to meeting called for by Mayor Alfred Romualdez with Tacloban City’s Task Force for COVID – 19, Tacloban City has provided a hotel as an isolation facility for the eighteen EVRMC medical workers who tested positive with this deadly virus.
Mayor Alfred orders LGU Tacloban to move fast and to extend a helping hand to EVRMC since those who tested positive are city residents.
The city has also maintained another hotel as quarantine facility for its medical frontliners from the City Health Office, CDRRMO and Tacloban City Hospital.
It has also rented another separate hotel and utilized two other evacuation centers as quarantine facilities for returning LSIs with no capacity for home quarantine.
“Ang habol ko dito is Tacloban and our immediate concerns here in the city”, Mayor Romualdez explained to the group.
“Kargo natin yan kasi residents yan ng Tacloban. Protect Taclobanons and Tacloban itself from the spread. Use all the resources of the government. Prioritize health workers who tested positive. Test families today,” the mayor added.
(TACLOBAN CITY INFORMATON OFFICE)
Anti-terror bill to ‘marginalize extremists’: Ormoc mayor
(Photo courtesy of Ormoc City government)
TACLOBAN CITY – Mayor Richard Gomez has said the people and the local government of Ormoc City support the enactment into law of the Anti-Terrorism Bill to drive economic growth and discourage extremism in the country.
“At a time when there is a pressing need to restart the economy, we ought to project before the international investment community and tourism sector a much-enhanced peace and order environment in the Philippines, which only marginalizes extremist elements in our society, both from within and without,” Gomez said in a brief statement posted on the city government’s Facebook page late Thursday.
He added that the proposed measure has enough safeguards to preserve the people’s democratic space and is comparable, if not better, to similar laws of other member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
“As the city mayor, I believe we need this law. If not now, then when?” Gomez said.
On Tuesday, Malacañang received a copy of the anti-terrorism bill that is now up for President Rodrigo Duterte’s signature.
Under the bill, persons who voluntarily and knowingly join any organization, association, or group of persons knowing that such is a terrorist organization, will suffer imprisonment of 12 years.
Suspected persons can be detained for 14 days without a warrant of arrest with an allowable 10-day extension.
A 60-day surveillance on suspected terrorists can also be launched by the police or the military, with an allowable 30-day extension. (GERICO SABALZA/PNA)
Maasin City considers home isolation for returnees
TACLOBAN CITY – The city government of Maasin in Southern Leyte will consider home isolation for returning residents and overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) due to the limited capacity of its designated quarantine facilities.
Following the protocols, all returning residents in the city are subjected to rapid antibody test and those with reactive results will be confined in the city’s isolation area for further testing and monitoring. Those with non-reactive results are sent to designated quarantine facilities for the mandatory 14-day isolation.
In a statement on Friday, Mayor Nacional Mercado said their existing facilities would not be enough to accommodate the influx of locally stranded individuals (LSI) and OFWs, thus the city health office recommends home isolation for returnees.
He said those interested to opt for home isolation must write a request to the city inter-agency task force for Emerging Infectious Disease stating their home address and the reason/s for such preference.
Upon approval of the task force, local health personnel will visit their respective residences to assess and evaluate if they meet the requirements for home isolation or quarantine.
“The LSI or OFW shall be alone in the house, with its own toilet and bath, and available running water in the area. If the house meets the requirements, the Barangay (village) Health Emergency Response Team (BHERT) will now be informed of the returnee’s intention to be put in home isolation for 14-days and the BHERT shall approve the same,” Mercado said.
A village watchman will be assigned in the area to ensure that the returning resident will not go out and no visitor allowed during the 14-day quarantine period.
The local government will also assign a nurse and midwife to daily monitor the returnee’s health condition either personally or via phone.
“The returnee must fill out the monitoring sheet for temperature twice a week and report immediately to the assigned health personnel once he or she developed flu-like symptoms like fever, cough, and sore throat,” Mercado said.
After the LSI or OFW complete the home isolation without any symptoms, a Certificate of Quarantine Completion will be issued by the city health office.
Maasin City, the capital of Southern Leyte, remains free of the coronavirus disease 2019, according to the Department of Health.
Meanwhile, Eastern Visayas has confirmed a total of 90 coronavirus cases, including 34 recoveries and zero death.
(GERICO SABALZA/PNA)