More health workers dispatched to Cebu

MANILA, Philippines — The government has dispatched more medical personnel and resources to Cebu City to strengthen the local government’s capacity in containing the coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 pandemic.

Cebu, tagged as the Queen City of the South, has been reverted to enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) status due to the rising number of COVID cases.

The number of medical personnel at the Department of Health-Central Visayas has been augmented as well as nurses in leading hospitals in the city, according to National Action Plan against COVID-19 Response chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr.

“Additional rooms are being set up in major hospitals in Cebu to accommodate patients and reduce waiting time for emergency situations, Galvez said during a virtual presser on Friday.

Twenty-five ventilators, 42,000 personal protective equipment and 16,000 face masks were turned over to the city government for distribution to its frontliners.

“I encouraged the LGUs, doctors, health workers and stakeholders to come together, unite and pool our energies and resources to solve the health and economic issues in this locality,” Galvez said, referring to local government units.

To better respond to the pandemic in the coming months, Galvez said the government continues to scale up its testing capacity.

Galvez urged Filipinos to remain steadfast and work hand-in-hand in combating the disease that has so far claimed more than 1,000 lives nationwide.

“We need to help each other, set aside politics and unite. Doctors, nurses and businessmen, let’s help local leaders in fighting COVID-19,” Galvez said.

PNP testing center

The Philippine National Police (PNP) is planning to fast-track the construction of its second COVID-19 testing laboratory in Central Visayas amid the increasing number of police officers infected with COVID-19.

The region recorded the second highest number of lawmen in the country tested positive for the virus.

As of Saturday night, the PNP said 483 police officers have COVID-19.

The figure makes up at least 1.6 percent of the country’s total 28,459 cases as of June 19.

PNP chief Gen. Archie Gamboa said 225 of the cases came from Metro Manila and 112 from Central Visayas.

The PNP is planning to build the facility at Camp Sotero Cabahug, the headquarters of the Cebu City police, according PNP spokesman Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac.

The PNP’s first COVID-19 testing center at Camp Crame has been operating since last month.

Meanwhile, a Philippine Navy vessel left Manila for the Visayas yesterday to bring home 498 people who were stranded in Luzon during the enhanced community quarantine.

The BRP Davao del Sur has been tapped to ferry stranded people as part of the military’s efforts to assist the government in resolving the crisis that resulted from the restrictions imposed to contain COVID-19.

Apart from stranded people, the Navy is also bringing personal protective equipment and medical equipment to the Visayas. Neil Jayson Servallos, Michael Punongbayan