27 September 2020 – At least 2077 Covid-19 cases have been prevented due to hygienic practices such as handwashing, use of face mask and shield; and measures implemented specifically contact tracing, triages, isolation and quarantine.
This was according to the report of City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (CESU) Head Dr. Donnabel Tubera-Panes during the Management Committee (Mancom) meeting last week with Mayor Benjamin Magalong, department heads and some councilors present.
According to Panes, more studies are needed to confirm if temperature-taking at building entrances is a determinant of Covid-19 as Baguio patients exhibit symptoms of cough, colds and sore throat rather than fever, which is reported as a dominant symptom of the disease in other areas.
Most patients are within the productive age of 30 to 40, in the working group and live with vulnerable family members. Local health care workers are within this category, Panes said.
Grocery and bank workers were tested, and, thankfully, no more clusters were observed, Panes added.
However, Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) centers are now seen with new Covid-19 clusters, thus work places have to be visited with occupational and work place safety plans checked.
Analytics have provided data with barangay populations in proportion to Covid-19 patients, showing active clusters, and a four-generation transmission within a family.
Panes also reported that more than 50% of all cases are in fifteen (15) barangays; thus focused action on said areas could halt transmission. With contact tracing, we have tested the right persons and at the right time; asymptomatic patients are isolated while symptomatics are rightfully in the hospitals, Panes said.
“Our target is low case fatality rate, which is the impact indicator of all activities we do. We just have to catch them early, or at the earliest,” Panes ended. ** Julie G. Fianza
