Regional interagency task force for COVID-19 organized

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Mar. 18 (PIA) – Department of Health (DOH)-10 Regional Director Dr. Adriano P. Suba-an led the creation of the regional interagency task force (IATF) for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Northern Mindanao to contain the spread of the disease. 

The newly organized IATF for managing Emerging Infectious Disease is now holding an emergency operation center at the 3rd floor of Pearlmont Hotel here where a team has been placed to answer and receive any calls from all the provinces of region 10 via hotlines.

“We have come out with some tasking to address concerns like logistics and security. We are preparing for every scenario including the possible worst-case scenario,” said Dr. Suba-an.

“We have the golden window of opportunity in terms of time,” he added.

“The time is now to preposition our frontline the barangay. The final battle will not be fought in the airport, seaports, highways or terminals but it will be at the barangay levels. We need to capacitate them,” Suba-an stressed.

The battle starts at the barangay, he said, adding the households must know what to do in the house.

“How to quarantine? Where to quarantine? We are preparing for the worst case scenarios. Let us not wait for that, let us help each other,” the DOH-10 head said.

Dr. Adriano Suba-an clarified there was death in Misamis Occidental from severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) but was not tested for COVID-19.

Meanwhile, Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC) chief of hospital, Dr. Jose Chan, reported that 32 patients have been admitted at NMMC and considered persons under investigation (PUI) for COVID19.

Right now, 13 patients are still in the hospital awaiting result from Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM). (JKAraña/PIA10)

source https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1036697