BACOLOD CITY – The city’s Emergency Operations Center-Task Force (EOC) on Friday warned that they will file a police report against individuals refusing to be taken to the isolation facilities after testing positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
“We will file a police blotter for those refusing to be extracted,” said Executive Assistant Ernesto Pineda, extraction cluster head of the EOC-TF.
The concern was discussed during the EOC-TF’s virtual huddle where Pineda pointed out that the patient’s continued stay in his or her residence will cause exposure of the household members, resulting in the spread of infection to more people.
He cited Section 9 of the Republic Act 11332, otherwise known as the “Law on Reporting of Communicable Diseases” as the basis in addressing instances when the patient refuses to cooperate.
It refers to the non-cooperation of the person or entities identified as having the notifiable disease or health events of public concern.
Through RA 11332, the state seeks, among others, to establish effective mechanisms for strong collaboration with national and local government health agencies.
This is aimed to ensure proper procedures are in place to promptly respond to reports of notifiable diseases and events of public health concern, including case investigations, treatment, and control and containment, including follow-up activities.
Under the same law, when an individual refuses to be placed in isolation in case of infection, he or she may be liable for non-cooperation, Pineda explained.
As of June 4, Bacolod has logged 9,992 cases, including 1,266 active patients; 8,465 recoveries; and 261 deaths. (PNA)
