Cebu City’s COVID cases expected to rise further

CEBU, Philippines — The number of COVID-19 cases in Cebu City is anticipated to rise further, as massive contact tracing and testing is expected to take place soon.

“Magra-rise ang case natin, dahil dadami yung contact tracing and testing. Ganyan siya,” said IATF Deputy implementer for the Visayas Retired General Mel Feliciano, in an interview with The FREEMAN.

What is good about this though is even if the cases rise further, it’s being a product of activities, and not of spread, said Feliciano.

“Kung makikita mo siya, mailabas mo siya, magandang sign yan. Kasi dapat makita mo talaga siya eh. Ma-trace mo para ma-determine kung saan ang spread,” said Feliciano.

Contact tracing is important to determine which areas that need to be put in a lockdown, he said.

When it reaches its peak, after that, cases get to go down, he added.

From five contact tracing teams, Feleciano said, they are aiming for 130 teams, more than what Cebu City mayor Edgardo Labella is eyeing - which is 80 teams or one per barangay.

One barangay could be needing more teams depending on its number of cases in a day, he said.

Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, who came to Cebu City to train the core team of contact tracers earlier, said each contact tracing team will have at least a doctor, a nurse and an investigator.

“Ideally ganun sya, but we will make use of what is available,” he said.

For the uniformed personnel though, it can be completed this week already.

“Ngayon nasa 48 na, meron pa coming inano na rin namin sa taas para ma-provide. Ang ano na lang namin ngayon is yung mga doctors and nurses ang mahirap. Pero may mga nag-apply na, iso-sort out pa namin” he said.

“Kinausap na rin namin yung Philippine Nurses Association-Cebu.  Kung may available na nurses na pwede i-employ ng City, much better, maipasok sila, sila yung priority,” he added.

When contact tracing and testing goes full blast, the barangay isolation centers might still be needed.

This, as the proposed barangay isolation complex of Vice mayor Michael Rama might not be enough to accommodate all the probables or those waiting for their test results yet and those asymptomatic.

“Mas mahirap i-isolate ito kaysa nag-positive. Yung positve na, i-halo-halo mo man sila, okay lang.  Eh itong probable, hindi mo alam kung positive o hindi, magkakaroon ng posibility na magkakaroon pa rin ng transmission kung iisang room lang sila o building kaya kailangan pa rin ng maraming isolation area,” he said.

He added they are looking into putting a probable COVID-19 case in one room or at least four in a room but with divisions, but should be a separate building from those that are positive ones.

From the cluster clinics, those tested will no longer be allowed to go home anymore and will be isolated while the rest of the family members will be quarantined for two weeks and will be monitored if no other members are having symptoms. GAN (FREEMAN)