Dr. Imelda Quiñones, chief of the Department of Health 12’s (Soccsksargen) epidemiology and surveillance unit. (PNA file photo by Richelyn Gubalani)
GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- At least 18 persons under monitoring (PUM) for the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in Soccsksargen have been cleared by the Department of Health (DOH) after completing the mandatory quarantine.
Dr. Imelda Quiñones, chief of the DOH 12’s (Soccsksargen) epidemiology and surveillance unit, said Friday the PUMs did not manifest any sign and symptom of the deadly disease within the 14-day quarantine period.
Quiñones said six of them underwent home and facility-based observation in North Cotabato, five in this city, four in Sarangani, two in South Cotabato, and one in Sultan Kudarat.
“All of them properly complied with the protocol for Covid-19,” Quiñones told reporters, adding that they consisted of four Chinese tourists from Fujian province. They were discharged early Thursday and allowed to take their flight to Manila.
As of Thursday, Quiñones said a total of 37 individuals have been quarantined in parts of Soccsksargen for Covid-19 monitoring.
She said they were classified as PUMs due to their history of travel to China and other countries with confirmed cases of the disease despite not showing its signs and symptoms.
Officials said the individuals were identified after arriving in the local airports and surveillance activities conducted by rural health units.
North Cotabato listed a total of 13 PUMs, followed by this city with 10, Sarangani with eight, South Cotabato with five, and Sultan Kudarat with one.
Quiñones said the lone patient under investigation (PUI) tested negative for the second time for Covid-19 and has already been discharged from the isolation facility of a private hospital here.
“As of today, we don’t have any PUI and there is no confirmed case of Covid-19 in the region,” she said.
Dr. Rochelle Oco, acting head of the City Health Office here, said they have expanded their surveillance activities to track down other residents and visitors who have a history of recent travel to countries affected by Covid-19.
Oco said their community-based monitoring is ongoing through the Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams (BHERT).
“We expect the number of PUMs to increase in the coming days through our partnership with the BHERTs,” she said.
Oco advised residents to remain calm and assured that the local government has been closely working with the DOH and concerned agencies to prevent the spread of the disease to the area. (PNA)
