DAVAO ORIENTAL – After more than two months without a positive case for COVID-19, the province of Davao Oriental has recorded on Friday, May 29, twelve new cases for the coronavirus disease.
This was announced by the Provincial Task Force on COVID-19 yesterday following the arrival of the test result sent by the Southern Philippines Medical Center subnational testing laboratory and the subsequent confirmation by the Department of Health Region XI.
Provincial Task Force on COVID-19 Action Officer Dr. Reden Bersaldo said that these individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 are from the municipalities of Banaybanay and San Isidro. He assured that all of these patients are contained and currently under strict isolation and monitoring.
These individuals consist of eight Overseas Filipino Workers – three are from the municipality of San Isidro and five are from the municipality of Banaybanay – who arrived in the province through sweeper flights from Manila to Davao City on May 26 and four individuals from the municipality of Banaybanay with a travel history in the Province of Maguindanao who also arrived in the province on the same day.
Dr. Bersaldo disclosed that one of the four individuals who came from Maguindanao has tested positive on a Rapid Diagnostic Test prior to his arrival in the province. However, as per the province’s standard protocol which is to swab test all individuals coming from outside the region and those areas within the region with local transmission, all of them were consequently isolated and tested upon their arrival.
Dr. Bersaldo stressed that all these 12 individuals, who are currently under stable condition, were immediately isolated at the Quarantine Center of their respective municipalities and were subjected to RT-PCR swab test upon their arrival.
Under the guidelines set by the Provincial Task Force on COVID-19, all individuals, including returning OFWs, are required to undergo re-swabbing upon their arrival in the province regardless if they already have secured negative RT-PCR test result from their area of origin.
“Even if they were already swabbed and quarantined for 14 days in Manila or anywhere else where they were on standby, our policy here in our province is to quarantine and re-swab them,” said Dr. Bersaldo, noting that the province has already procured 11,000 sets of RT-PCR swab test and 16,000 sets of PPEs and has conducted trainings on swab testing and contact tracing “in anticipation to this kind of situation.”
Meanwhile, upon consultation with the region’s Infectious Disease Specialist, the twelve Covid-positive patients will be undergoing treatment inside the quarantine facility given that they are asymptomatic or without symptoms and are being categorized as mild cases. The Provincial Government and the two local government units are working together for the treatment of these patients.
Currently, the Provincial Task Force, through the Municipal Health Offices of the two local government units are monitoring the patients’ health status which include identifying those with pre-existing medical condition. These patients will be subjected to another RT-PCR swab test in order to verify the results.
While these individuals have only few contacts given that they were immediately isolated upon their arrival, contact tracing is still being undertaken. All health workers who came in close contact with these individuals will also be subjected to swab testing. “We will not take chances,” said Dr. Bersaldo.
Amidst these new developments, the Provincial Task Force on COVID-19 reminds the residents of Davao Oriental not to be complacent by practicing the minimum health protocols such as physical distancing, proper handwashing, wearing of facemasks, and to stay home and avoid unnecessary travels, among other measures. kld-PIO
