Even before President Rodrigo Duterte announced Friday morning, April 24, the ease or downgrading from Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) to General Community Quarantine (GCQ) of some provinces with a small number of COVID-19 cases like Palawan, Department of Health’s Center for Health Development in MIMAROPA has expressed their concerns.
In a virtual presser of DOH – MIMAROPA, Regional Incident Commander, Dr. Emerose Moreno said that there are things to be considered before the lifting of ECQ.
“Hindi po ganun kadali mag pronounce na dapat po itigil o i-lift ang ECQ sa panahong ito dahil hindi pa po sapat ang ating mga datus na pinanghahawakan lalung-lalo na kung ang atin pong expanded testing ay minimal,” Moreno said during the virtual presser of DOH MIMAROPA.
Moreno explained that the testing in Palawan is minimal because there are more priority patients from other provinces that needs to be tested.
Even though the Regional Institute for Tropical Medicine or RITM is working on their backlogs, she said that there will be delays as it is undergoing decontaminations inside the facility.
“Ang atin pong testing na ginagawa sa probinsya ng Palawan ay minimal padin. Ibig sabihin po, hindi pa po natin nate-test lahat ng dapat i-test na high risk kung kaya’t matindi po ang isinasagawang pag-aaral para po ang lahat ng mga factors [that should be considered] ay hindi po tayo magkamali at hindi po tayo dapat maging complacent kung saka-sakali na magkaroon po tayo ng 2nd wave of infection,”
Meanwhile, Dr. Mario Baquilod, the Regional Director of DOH in MIMAROPA announced that there were no additional reported cases of COVID-19 in the region as of Thurday afternoon, April 23 but we have to be vigilant and still follow orders.
“Ang hindi natin pagtatala ng kaso sa mga nakalipas na linggo ay hindi po rason para maging kampante tayo, ang kalaban natin ay hindi nakikita at naituring na traydor kaya mas maganda po na patuloy na maging mapagmatyag at patuloy na sumunod sa abiso ng ating lokal na pamahalaan,” Baquilod said during the virtual presser.
The health official also appealed to the public to maintain and practice the health measures being done during the ECQ.
“Gawin natin ang ating parte, manatili tayo sa loob ng ating bahay lalo na kung wlaa naming gagawin sa labas, palaging paghuhugas ng kamay, pagsunod sa proper cough etiquette kung kayo ay may ubo o sipon, pag-observe ng physical distancing, pagsusuot ng mask lalo na kung tayo ay lalabas at panghuli ay pagpalakas ng ating resistensya,” Dr. Baquilod said.
“Ang mga precautionary measures at healthy behaviors na aking nabanggit ay gawin na nating normal na parte ng ating pang araw-araw na buhay upang makaiwas sa pagkakaroon ng COVID-19,” he added.
As of April 24, Palawan has 33 suspect COVID-19 patients, 13 were admitted in the hospitals and the remaining 20 were under home quarantine.
In the region, DOH – CHD MIMAROPA reported two confirmed cases of COVID-19, a 66-year old male from Occidental Mindoro and a 21-year old male in Oriental Mindoro.
“Sa pagtala ng dalawang bagong CONFIRMED Case sa ating rehiyon ngayong araw [April 24], nais naming magpa-alala na patuloy tayong sumunod sa mga abisong ibinibigay ng DOH at ng inyong lokal na pamahalaan.” Baquilod said in a statement from DOH – CHD MIMAROPA.
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