The Department of Health in the region lauded the extension of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), saying it will help in the efforts to flatten the transmission curve of the coronavirus disease-2019 (Covid-19).
The ECQ extension, which Pres. Rodrigo Duterte declared to last until April 30, will help control the spread of the Covid-19 aside from providing the government a true picture of the infection in the country.
Department of Health-Cordillera Director Amelita Pangilinan said the extended lockdown will enable the government to see the extent of the Covid-19 cases as more individuals will be tested with the recent rollout of mass testing and the arrival of additional test kits for the region.
Pangilinan said the degree of infection in the Cordillera remains to be seen because cases continue to increase.
“We can never be confident while cases continue to increase. We cannot yet say that we are flattening the transmission curve,” she said.
She expressed hope that Baguio City, which accounts for the most number of Covid-19 positive cases in the region, will continue to record no new cases in the succeeding weeks.
Health officials have expressed their support to the ECQ extension even before it was officially declared, saying this remains the best way to deter the spread of the Covid-19.
Pangilinan is hopeful that before the ECQ extension is lifted, the mass testing shall have been implemented. Under the current set up, only persons under investigation for the Covid-19 that are showing adverse symptoms are subject to testing. Those with mild symptoms are not tested.
With the additional kits for mass testing, the DOH regional office is hopeful that PUIs with mild symptoms will be subjected to the test.
The Baguio City Health Services Office has rolled out the rapid testing, but which results are still subject for confirmatory tests. – Jane B. Cadalig
