The national Inter-Agency Task Force through the Bases Conversion Development Authority has commenced the expanded testing in Bontoc, Mountain Province to locate other possible cases of Covid-19.
Dr. Amelita Pangilinan, Department of Health assistant regional director, who led the team of DOH-contact tracers in Bontoc, said swabbers started getting specimens which will be subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests.
“They will go to the villages to do the testing among residents,” she said.
Barangays Samoki, Caluttit, Bontoc Ili, Poblacion, and Tocucan have been placed on lockdown, preventing residents from going out of their houses after several persons were found positive for Covid-19.
Bontoc has been tagged by the DOH not just for the spike in cases but also due to the discovery of the presence of B117 SARS-CoV-2 (United Kingdom) variant among 12 persons.
Pangilinan said the Regional Epidemiology Health and Surveillance Unit, including the Health Emergency Medical Service unit of the DOH and swabbers, arrived last week for the expanded testing.
She said the PCR test will be done on contacts up to the third generation contact of those who tested positive as well as other residents in the barangays.
Bontoc Mayor Franklin Odsey has issued Memorandum 50-2021 directing all personnel of the national government agencies with provincial field offices in Bontoc and personnel of the provincial government of Mountain Province to subject themselves to the free PCR mass testing from Jan. 26 to 28.
As of Jan 24, Bontoc has a total of 277 active cases, while 111 have already recovered. – PNA
July 27, 2024
