Davao City Covid-19 Task Force focal person Dr. Ashley Lopez (PNA file photo)
DAVAO CITY – Davao City Covid-19 Task Force has started implementing the expanded mandatory testing of all close contacts in all levels of a coronavirus disease 2019 positive patient.
Davao City Covid-19 Task Force Focal Person Dr. Ashley Lopez said in a radio interview on Wednesday it will be beneficial to accurately assess the Covid-19 situation in the city.
“When you say all levels, all those possible close contacts, not only direct contacts like F1 (close contact of index case) but it involves also the second generation and third generation contacts. We will trace them so we could test them,” he added.
Aside from the expanded mandatory testing, Lopez said they are also implementing intensified case finding on influenza-like illness (ILI) and acute respiratory infections (ARI) surveillance.
He urged the Dabawenyos experiencing the said illnesses to help the government by voluntarily going to the nearest health office and get a schedule for swab testing.
Lopez said amid a downward trend of Covid-19 cases here, the city government is bracing for a potential mega surge. Apart from expanding the mandatory testing, the city is also preparing all health and quarantine facilities and strengthening case findings.
“We have already made a contingency plan for what we call a mega surge. We have anticipated that this surge that happened in NCR and Cebu could happen in the whole country. This is also possible since the Holy Week is coming up,” Lopez said.
The plan, according to Lopez, includes preparations for the temporary treatment and monitoring facilities, the isolation and quarantine facilities, staffing, and encouraging private hospitals to participate and allocate hospital beds for Covid-19 patients. (PNA)
